Red
by ExtraSteps
Summary: Theo returns from hell a changed man.
1. Chapter 1

Theo was encased in darkness. It pressed in on all sides, suffocating him. He breathed in dirt and choked, his lungs burning.

He did not know which was worse; when he was beneath the ground, alone but for his thoughts and the weight of the earth pressing down on his shoulders; or when he ran through the hospital, Tara gleefully ripping her heart from his chest, again and again and again.

Emptiness or pain. There was nothing else, down here in his own personal hell.

There was no way to tell how long he had been down here. Time was meaningless. He drifted in and out of consciousness, teetering on the verge of death but never surrendering to it. Even in hell, Theo was determined to survive.

His actions haunted him. He had too much time to think, to reflect on all of the things he had done. How had he ended up here? How had it all gone so horribly wrong? How had he miscalculated so badly?

He had killed his betas, absorbing their powers, the electricity humming under his skin, and just as he thought he was strong enough, Kira had split open the ground, and Tara had taken him, dragging him to hell.

Theo closed his eyes. When had he opened them? Grit scratched his eyes, making them water. He could not reach up to wipe it away, arms pinned in place by the earth around him. Tara grabbed his foot, dragging him down into the nightmare.

"Theo," she whispered malevolently. She crawled towards him, enjoying the chase, dragging it out as long as possible, feasting on his fear. She never tired of it, never tired of his begs and pleas for mercy, never tired of piercing his chest with her hand, never tired of his screams of agony as she ripped out his heart. Then it would fade to black, and he would be trapped in the morgue, heart racing, as the nightmare began anew.

His heart was empty, what did it matter if she took it? He had been abandoned down here, the only ones that might have helped him, Scott, Malia, Liam, Lydia, Corey, Mason, all allowing him to rot. Kira, the one who had trapped him down here in the first place, would hardly care, but he had thought Scott, or maybe Liam, would do something.

All he knew was pain.

Hell was hungry, and with each passing moment, Theo felt parts of himself slipping away. Josh's electricity no longer hummed and sizzled along his skin, absorbed into the earth and drawn away. The poison he had stolen from Tracy soaked into the ground aeons ago. Even the strength and hyper-awareness of his chimera was dulling more and more, until all that was left him was desperation and the heart thudding slowly in his chest. And Tara was determined not to let him keep it.

Just as he thought he could not bare it a moment longer, as his sanity hangs by a single thread, there was a loud crack. There was a burning around his left wrist and a hard jerk on it that nearly dislocated his shoulder.

Theo blinked as stale, sour air swirled around his face. The earth shifted around him, and desperately, he lunged up, clawing his way through the dirt, lungs heaving with exertion. One hand cleared the darkness and gripped the cold, jagged edge of cement, and he pulled himself out of the darkness.

Slowly, he got to his feet, swaying, unsteady, as he stared into the shocked face of Liam, who stood before him, both hands on Kira's sword, a large crack running between him and Theo. Behind him was Hayden, who glared at him, her lips raised in a sneer.

His heart thudded in his chest as he glanced around quickly, trying to summon powers that are no longer at his beck and call, his will to survive flaring as he tried to dull the panic that threatened to make his hands shake and his knees buckle.

Theo Raeken, newly delivered from hell, once a powerful chimera and bane of the McCall pack's existence, was now completely and utterly, mundanely, human. And it terrified him.


	2. Chapter 2

_"If you want to do this, you have to do it yourself," Kira's mother said, holding the sword in front of her, balanced on her hands. Liam cleared his throat and bowed his head, feeling the weight of this decision bear down on his shoulders. He took it, looking down at the sword, Kira's sword, and then walked past Mrs Yukimura. She stopped him, and he turned to face her._

 _"Whatever happens, once it's done, will be your responsibility," she warned him. He did not reply, but turned back and continued walking forwards. Distantly, he noticed her leaving, and Hayden following._

 _He held onto the sword with both hands, breathing deeply. Hayden lunged forward, a cry on her lips, but she was too late. Liam thrust the sword into the ground, and a flash of blue lightning cracked the ground in front of them._

 _Slowly, he got back up to his feet, and watched as a hand emerged from the ground._

Dirt caked every inch of Theo's body. He took a deep breath, trying to stave off the panic attack that was clawing at his lungs.

Theo felt sluggish and slow as he lunged towards Liam, shoving him back against the wall, arm at his throat. There was no power behind his snarl, but he bared his teeth anyway.

"Theo! We're not trying to hurt you." Hayden said desperately. "We're the ones that brought you back."

He ignored this, still trying to strain his senses in every direction, not entirely sure that this was not just a new brand of nightmare.

"Where's my sister?" Theo demanded.

"She died a long time ago," Liam said quietly.

"You killed her, remember?" Hayden said, her voice shaking. Theo stared at her, eyes wide. The panic would not subside, and he gasped for breath.

"I'm gonna kill you, too," he growled, "I'm gonna kill all of you."

"Send him back.," Hayden sobbed. Liam brought up the hand holding the sword.

"You know what this does?" Liam asked. He looked scared, but determined, and Theo looked at him and down and the sword, and then back up again, meeting Liam's gaze. Slowly, he released Liam's hoodie, waiting to see what he would do.

"We need your power to help us," Liam said firmly. "Then you can kill whoever you want. But if you do kill us, you're gonna end up worse off than ever."

Theo stared at Liam, and then his eyes drifted back down to the sword. It finally sunk in that he was no longer in the ground, but there in Liam's hand was the one thing that could send him back. Liam was so earnest, so determined, his eyes pleading with Theo to help him.

"There's nothing worse than what I've been through," Theo said quietly. Liam ignored this. He had no idea what Theo had experienced, and it was clear that he did not care.

"You ever hear about the Ghost Riders?" Liam asked.

Liam walked past Theo, and lead him down the tunnel. Theo fought against following, but something tugged him after the other boy. He stared at Liam's back, confused. His wrist burned.

He glanced down, noticing for the first time that there was a bright, red string wrapped around his left wrist. Theo frowned, grabbing it with his right hand and trying to rip it off. He hissed as it dug into his skin further.

It pulled him closer to Liam and Theo stilled as he noticed that the other end of the string was looped around Liam's wrist. With every step that Liam took, it pulled tight, dragging Theo behind.

His stomach dropped, blood rushing from his face as horror made him sway in place. Everyone knew about the red string of fate, knew what it meant. Fated. Soulmates. True love.

It was a sick joke, it had to be. There was no way - he and Liam?

Hayden shoved past him to join Liam and he stopped, bracing himself. The red string became taut, snapping up, and Hayden stumbled over it.

Theo bit back a laugh, chewing on his bottom lip. Anxiety was still clawing at his stomach as they walked into another room to find a man with his back turned to them, playing around with some technical equipment.

"We've got him," Liam said, making the man turn around to face them.

"So, this is the infamous Theo," he drawled, raising one eyebrow. Recognition thrummed through him as he recognised the other man. His eyes darted between him and Liam, wondering whether or not he should reveal his knowledge.

"This is Mr. Douglas," Liam said, waving a hand at him.

Now that Liam had stopped walking, Theo found that he was able to move a bit further away from the other boy and he paced around the room as his eyes took in every detail. The lightning rod in the middle of the room gave him pause. Surely, they didn't think?

"This won't work," Theo scoffed, looking from where 'Mr. Douglas' was fiddling with the lightning rod to Liam. He would wait to see how this played out before he gave away secrets for free. The man looked at him, his eyes knowing, a smirk dancing on his lips as he turned away from Theo.

"You took Josh's power," Liam shrugged. "You can do it." Theo turned his attention back to Liam, raising one eyebrow.

"Have you not been paying attention?" Theo asked, sarcasm lacing his tone. Liam blinked, looking confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Forget it, Liam. It was a stupid idea," Hayden muttered, grabbing Liam's arm. Liam shrugged her off, stepping forwards.

"If you shock me with that thing," Theo said, jabbing a finger towards the lightning rod, "I'll die."

Realisation dawned on Liam's face.

"You don't have Josh's power anymore, do you?" Liam asked quietly. Hayden strode forward, grabbing Theo's hand and inspecting it.

"Or Tracy's," she sneered. Theo ripped his hand out of her grasp, shaking his head.

"Guess I'm back to Classic Theo," he said. Technically, he was not even that. He was human now, not a chimera. He was not going to volunteer that information though, not while he was so vulnerable, not if they had not already realised it for themselves.

"Maybe you should try some remorse, since you killed them for their powers," Liam growled, looking disgusted.

"I just put them back the way I found them," Theo said, his tone even. He felt a little calmer now. He was used to this push and pull between he and Liam, it was familiar. Hell was drawing further away by the second, he just had to convince Liam and Hayden that he was useful.

"Okay. Send him back," Hayden said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Theo stepped forwards, holding out a hand to Liam entreatingly.

"Hold on, I can help," he said, looking between them. "I know about the Wild Hunt from the Dread Doctors. I also know about things I'm betting you don't."

Mr. Douglas sneered, looking Theo up and down with a contemptuous look. "I'm with Ms. Romero on this one. Send him back."

Theo could feel the panic gripping him once again. Liam was one of the good guys, he would not send him back, would he?

"Who's making decisions around here? Where's Scott? Where's Stiles?" He asked desperately. Surely Scott would not allow him to be sent back there a second time. Hayden and Liam both stared at him, shocked. Liam's lowered the sword slightly.

"You remember Stiles?" Hayden asked.

"Why wouldn't I remember Stiles?" Theo asked.

"Maybe he's useful after all," Liam said, staring down at the ground, a thoughtful frown on his face. Theo's heart raced as hope filled his chest.

He was almost literally dragged to Scott's house but Theo refused to tell them a single thing until they allow him to have a shower and change into something clean. Liam dug through the drawer's in Scott's room, finding him something to wear and shoving it at him.

"Be quick," he growled. Theo waited for Liam to leave, but he did not go far, only shutting the door and standing on the other side of it. Theo shrugged. At this stage, it was as good as he would get.

Theo took immense satisfaction from throwing his filthy, torn clothes at the door, hitting it with a loud thud. He could hear Liam grumbling under his breath, and smirked. He got the shower started and stepped in, closing his eyes.

The hot water was pure bliss, but Theo barely noticed as he scrubbed his skin raw, chasing away every grain of dirt from his body. When he finally emerged from the bathroom, he was squeaky clean, dressed in Scott's clothes. They felt a little tight on him, he was broader in the shoulders than Scott was, but they would do until he could hunt down his truck and get at his own clothes.

He followed Liam back down into the kitchen, where Hayden was waiting. Theo stood on one side of the bench, while Liam and Hayden stood on the other, a united front.

"You know all about the Ghost Riders. How do we get Stiles and the others back?" Hayden asked.

"You can't. The Wild Hunt comes. The Wild Hunt goes. That's how it works," Theo said.

"But they're still here. And they're still taking people," Liam said, shaking his head.

"That's not possible," Theo said. Liam raised his eyebrows at him, conveying with a single look that it clearly was possible. "They're the Wild Hunt. They're not just gonna stick around. Unless…" He drifted off, looking thoughtful.

"Unless what?" Hayden asked.

Theo shrugged. "Unless they're stuck."

"You're gonna help us," Liam said after a moment, shifting his weight as he stared at Theo.

"Liam, I don't know what to do," Theo admitted, telling the truth for a change. He knew a little bit about the Wild Hunt, but not about how to bring anyone back from being taken.

"Well, you remember Stiles so clearly you know more than we do," Hayden said quietly. Liam held up the sword, and Theo stared at it, shuddering.

"You're gonna help us," Liam repeated, "or you're going back." There was a determined set to his jaw that Theo recognised, and his eyes flicked back up to meet Liam's gaze.

"Let me guess," he said bitterly. "Scott wasn't part of this plan, was he?" Typical Liam, charging ahead with a plan that he had not even thought through. If Scott had not approved of this, it was only a matter of time before he would be sent back. He was human now, he would not survive hell a second time.

A car rolled into the driveway, and then suddenly Scott was there, like mentioning his name had summoned him. He stared at Theo and Theo shifted uncomfortably, falling back to his first line of defence, sarcasm.

"Somehow I don't think we're gonna hug this out," he said.

"I hope you realise it's taking all my strength not to tear you in half right now," Scott said, his chest heaving, eyes dark with anger. Before Theo had a chance to respond, Malia was there, growling viciously.

"Malia?" Theo said, feeling very nervous at the way she was glaring at him. "You aren't still upset about the whole shooting thing, are you?" Her eyes glowed blue and she bared her fangs, roaring in his face.

Malia launched herself at Theo, screaming her rage as she barrelled into him. He felt the breath woosh out of his chest as she landed on top of him, her fists lashing out, striking his face repeatedly, the force of her anger breaking his nose almost instantly. He groaned in pain, clenching his eyes shut tight, gritting his teeth as she laid into him.

Theo did not even try to defend himself. He was a human, and even as a chimera there would be little he could have done to prevent this furious werecoyote from attacking him. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth, almost black, bruises blossoming on his face.

"It's ok," he said, "you don't have to stop."

"Trust me," Malia snarled, eyes glowing and claws extended, "I won't."

It felt like hours, months, years, before Malia was dragged off of him by Scott. Theo could barely breathe past the blood. He turned his head to the side, coughing weakly, spitting out blood.

"Malia, enough," Scott commanded. Liam and Scott held Malia back as she tried to lunge at him again. Hayden hung back, watching with calculating eyes. "Slow down, ok? He's going back in the ground."

"You can't," Liam objected. "He remembers Stiles."

"Scott remembers Stiles," Malia said, teeth bared. "Lydia and I remember Stiles."

"Look, the Dread Doctors knew all about the Wild Hunt. He could help us," Liam said.

"Or he could kill us," Scott said.

Theo tried to prop himself up, watching this back and forth between the alpha and the beta.

"He's my responsibility," Liam said firmly. "Noshiko gave me the sword."

"It's so awkward when mum and dad fight," Theo groaned, pulling himself up into a sitting position.

"Shut up," they both snarled at him. Theo shook his head, and then clutched at it as a wave of dizziness crashed through him. He had lost too much blood. It was making him light-headed.

"You both are right," Hayden interjected. "If Theo tries anything, we'll send him back to the skinwalkers, but for right now-"

"-He goes back," Scott interrupted, "now."

"Except Liam's the one with the sword," Theo said faintly, clinging on to consciousness by a thread. He could not die here, not like this. They all screamed at him to shut up, and Theo squeezed his eyes shut, head throbbing, flinching back. After so many years of relying on his manufactured healing, his body was unused to this abuse.

Scott dragged Liam away, out of his hearing, and Hayden stepped between Theo and Malia to prevent her from killing him. Theo took deep breaths, trying to stay conscious, but he failed, slumping to the side.


	3. Chapter 3

_"He's not healing," Liam said, looking worried._

 _"Of course he's not healing," Hayden scoffed, from where she leaned against the bench. "He's human."_

 _"What?" Liam said, his voice squeaking._

 _"Did you seriously not realise?" Hayden asked, contempt dripping from her voice._

 _"Why didn't you say something?" Liam yelled, falling to his knees beside Theo, hands shaking as he helped Theo to roll onto his side._

His lips were turning blue and his face was pale. He could barely think, so focussed on the pain, everything throbbing and aching. He drifted in and out of consciousness, darkness clouding the edges of his vision, words reaching him through a tunnel, disconnected, making no sense whatsoever.

Unconsciousness gave him no respite. He awoke as he had a million time before, laying on the gurney in the morgue. With all of his strength he pushed at the door until it finally gave way and he scrambled out of the locker and onto the cold hospital floor. His breath came out in pants as his wild eyes darted around, looking for any trace of his sister.

He had hoped, naively perhaps, that he had left Tara behind in hell. Clearly, she had not got the memo.

Slowly, he got his feet, hearing her menacing, sibilant whisper as she called his name. Theo walked out into the hallway, every sense straining. His stolen heart thudded in his chest as he continued down the hallway, and then suddenly he could hear her. He whirled around and saw her crawling towards him on all fours, water dripping, matted hair hiding her face from view. The gaping hole in her chest dripped blood onto the floor, and he could not look away.

She was on him in moments, grabbing his ankle and tripping him so that he fell backwards. He stared into her dead, empty eyes as she plunged her hand into his chest and pulled out his heart, her heart. It beat in her hand, pumping blood, dripping down onto his body.

As always, he remembered staring down at her from the bridge as she had turned and said his name, pleading with him to help her, remembered her chest split open on the operating table, and watching the Dread Doctors as they cut into his own chest.

His head fell back and hit the hospital floor with a thud. And then he was back on the gurney, gasping for breath, hand clutching at his aching chest, feeling her heart beating inside him once more.

Again, he forced his way out of the locker, but this time he ran through the hospital. He was no longer in hell, surely he could escape her this time, just once. He banged on the emergency door, trying to force his way out, but it was locked. Stomach sinking, he turned to see Tara standing right behind him.

"Tara, don't," he pleaded, but she did not listen, ripping her heart from his chest once more. He woke again, desperately rushing out of the locker and out of the morgue, but she caught him instantly, claiming her heart again.

Again and again and again. There was no escape, there never was, and nor should there be. An endless cycle of fear and agony. He deserved this. He did this to her. Resigned, he fell out of the locker, on all fours, panting. He looked up to see her standing at the door.

Theo stood slowly, tears welling in his eyes.

"It's ok," he said, "you don't have to stop." She stared at him with the same empty gaze as she tore into his chest, and he crumpled to the floor, fading into darkness. Red filled his vision, and suddenly he was in immense pain once more.

"Open your eyes," a voice urged, and Theo groaned.

He tried but could not summon the energy. There was so much pain.

"Liam," Scott muttered, consternation in his tone as some of the pain began to leech away from Theo's body.

"He's going to die," Liam growled.

"Who cares?" Malia said dismissively.

"I do," Liam yelled. "I thought you wanted to find Stiles. He can help us, I know he can."

"Liam, it's ok," Theo mumbled, trying to raise his arms to push Liam away.

"It's not," Liam said. Theo blinked, trying to look at the boy hovering over him, unable to focus on his face.

Theo smiled faintly, closing his eyes once again. He was fairly sure that he was in no danger of Liam putting him back in the ground anytime soon. The beta was too much of a bleeding heart. Liam would not let Theo die either, not while he felt responsibility for him. Something in Theo woke at this realisation and he shuddered.

"Scott," Liam said, urgency in his voice.

"No, Liam," Scott replied.

"You have to bite him, or he'll die," Liam growled.

"Liam, that's too much," Hayden said softly. "You can't ask him that."

"He'd be a full werewolf," Liam said, and Theo could taste the salt of his tears, "and you'd be his alpha. You could control him."

"He could kill me, steal my power," Scott pointed out.

Theo stirred. Liam had been taking his pain the whole time, and he felt a little stronger. He opened his eyes, turning his head slightly to look into Scott's eyes. He tried to convey with a look everything he was feeling. He did not care about power anymore, he did not want to kill anyone, he just wanted to live, to survive. Scott shook his head slowly and Theo slumped in defeat.

"Please," Liam whispered.

Theo's gaze flitted up to Liam's face and he stared at him. Liam was crying, black veins bulging in his neck as he took Theo's pain, face screwed up as he panted.

"Liam, stop," Theo said quietly. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

He could not help but feel gratitude for Liam. Theo glanced down at the red string that linked their wrists together and then back up at Liam. He had rescued him from hell, from his nightmares, from the ground. If he was going to die, at least it was in the arms of his fated soulmate, the one he was meant to be with.

Liam looked down at him, and they gazed into each other's eyes. Theo felt the weight of his emotions, the frustration, the despair, the anger, the guilt, all tangled in Liam's expression.

"Scott," Lydia said firmly. Everyone turned to look at her. Her eyes were red, tears streaming down her face, her mouth pursed in anger. "We don't do this. We don't let people die."

"He killed Scott," Malia growled, her eyes flashing blue as she glared at Lydia.

"Liam is right," Lydia said, ignoring Malia entirely as she looked at Scott. "Listen to your beta. We want to find Stiles, Theo can help us, and I will not stand here and watch someone die that we could have saved."

"Lydia," Scott pleaded, a pained expression on his face.

"You do this, Scott, you make the right choice," Lydia said, fury making the air around her bend. "I will not be left behind while all of you are taken. I will do anything to prevent being like Lenore."

Scott's shoulders slumped and he looked down at the ground, nodding. Liam exhaled sharply, watching carefully as Scott walked towards them.

"Scott," Malia growled.

"No, Malia, they're right," Scott said gently, pausing to look at her. She stared at him, and then whirled on her heel, slamming the door behind her as she ran outside.

He shook his head sadly and then knelt down next to Theo, taking his right arm in his hands.

"I'm not doing this for you," he said, his gaze impassive as he looked down at Theo. Weakly, Theo nodded, though his heart was racing in his chest. To finally be pack, after all this time, to be accepted, even grudgingly, was more than he had ever hoped for.

Scott's eyes flashed red, his teeth elongating into fangs as he bit down on Theo's arm. Liam took the pain almost before it appeared, still holding Theo's left hand.

The pack bond flared into life almost immediately, linking the three of them together, and inside him, his wolf howled. Scott pulled back and walked away without another glance. He huddled with Lydia and Hayden, talking quietly.

Theo looked down at his body, astonished with the rate at which he was healing.

"I've never heard of the bite working that quickly," he muttered.

"Maybe your body remembers," Liam said quietly.

"Maybe," Theo frowned. Strength was rushing back into his body, quickly eclipsing anything he had felt before. As a chimera, he had been an experiment, a weak facsimile of the real thing. Harnessing his powers had always taken concentration, always feeling unnatural even after years spent as the Dread Doctor's puppet. As a wolf, a beta of a true alpha, the power stuck to his insides like a second skin, his strength was almost alarming. No wonder Liam struggled so much with his anger.

Liam stood up, pulling Theo to his feet as well. They looked at each other, a new tension sizzling between them, an awareness that had not been there before. The pack bond bound them, heart to heart, while the red string bound them hand to hand. Fate was a determined son-of-a-bitch.

He watched as Liam picked up the sword, holding it in his right hand.

"I can put you back in the ground anytime," Liam warned. Theo sniffed, smelling his uncertainty. He ignored this, knowing that Liam would not be able to do it, not anymore, not now that they were pack.

"You also need a transformer that can handle five billion joules of electricity," he said. "I know where to find one. I can show you how it works." Theo needed to focus on being helpful, on staying alive. The longer he was around, the more the bond would solidify, and the less likely it was that Scott or Liam would allow Malia or anyone else to kill him.

Somehow, he ended up in chains, being tugged along by Liam and Hayden. Ironic, considering all Liam needed was the red string around their hands. Clearly, Liam could not see it, and Theo had no intention whatsoever of informing him, especially with the way the beta looked at Hayden.

"This was a bad idea," Liam muttered, glancing at Hayden.

"It's not a bad idea," Hayden said. A flash of pity shot through Theo's mind. He doubted Hayden would recognise a bad idea if it was tap dancing in front of her.

"It's a terrible idea," Theo said helpfully. Liam yanked at the chain, making Theo stumble. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at Liam's back, one hand looping around the red thread while he imagined using it to pull Liam's arm out of its socket. "I told you where the transformer is. I told you how it works. I don't need to be there when it all blows up," he grumbled.

Hayden whirled around, "it's not going to blow up. They ride the lightning. We can use that to catch one and keep them there until we can figure out what they want. It's a good idea."

"You're trying to catch a Ghost Rider?" Theo asked, incredulous. Of all the ridiculous ideas they could have come up with, this one took the cake. "A million things could go wrong. Terrible idea."

"The bad idea was bringing him back," Liam scowled. "Scott's right, this is a mistake." Theo's heart sunk in his chest. Just when he thought he was making progress, Liam was starting to second-guess himself.

"You took a risk," Hayden said, looking at him. "We took a risk, but it was the right thing to do." She stepped closer and Theo rolled his eyes. "I believe in you." Liam and Hayden kissed and Theo curled his lip.

Idly, he ran a hand over the red string again, curling it around his fingers, foreign emotion making his hands shake. The wolf inside him growled, shocking Theo with its possessiveness. Liam belonged to him now, it snarled, not Hayden.

"You guys want me to leave you alone?" He asked sarcastically, pushing down the feeling of jealousy building in his chest. They turned to glare at him. "Oh, that's right. You can't." He held up the chains, tilting his head arrogantly. His heart was racing, making him feel ill at the intensity of his warring emotions.

A rumble of thunder interrupted the scathing response dancing on Liam's tongue. Theo could almost hear him swallow it down. He smirked.

"We'd better hurry," Hayden said urgently. Liam yanked at the chain again, and Theo growled.

The three of them walked into the bunker, finding Scott, Mason and Corey.

"You did it," Hayden breathed, smiling.

"Of course we did it," Mason said. Theo ignored them, too busy watching Liam undo the chains that bound him. They dropped to the floor, but Theo was not free, not by a long shot.

He strode past the others to the transformer, glancing over his shoulder to see everyone looking at him. Theo turned the transformer on and it hummed to life, lighting up. "This thing can transfer heat to energy from a lightning bolt, even successive strikes."

Scott turned and walked over to the cage, pointing at it. "Mason, are you sure this is going to work?"

"Well, whatever is inside this cage is shielded from any outside electrical current. So, the Ghost Rider won't be able to use lightning to escape," Mason explained.

"We put a lightning rod up on the roof and connected it to that conduit cable," Corey said, pointing to it, "drawing the Ghost Rider to that spot."

"We can't send them directly in, because the cage neutralises electromagnetism, lightning would just bounce off it," Mason shrugged, "which is the same reason it will hold him in."

"If the Ghost Rider lands here," Scott said, stepping forwards, "how do we get him in the cage?"

"We have to lure him in," Corey said nervously.

"Bait?" Scott asked.

"I'll do it,' Hayden said straight away. Liam took a shaky breath and Hayden nodded at him reassuringly. "It'll be ok. I'm faster than you."

Theo hung back, watching all of this, fantasising over what the Ghost Riders could do to Hayden and wondering if any of them would notice if he slunk away.

"As soon as Hayden's out, Scott and Liam, you guys close the gates and then I'll put down a barrier of mountain ash," Mason explained, holding up the jar.

"I'll be on the roof to take down the rod," Corey offered.

"But we'll be on the lookout for any other Ghost Riders," Mason continued.

"What do you think?" Liam asked. Theo glanced at Liam, and then at Scott.

"I think that it's the best idea that we have right now," Scott said, approval obvious in his eyes.

"As long as everything goes perfectly and he doesn't escape and kill us all," Theo said sarcastically.

"And your transformer works and the whole place doesn't catch on fire," Hayden sassed, quirking an eyebrow at Theo. He was really starting to dislike this girl. That was something both he and his wolf could agree on.

"And there isn't a catastrophic solar flare," Mason said, his voice shaking.

"Let's do it," Scott said. The urge to roll his eyes was almost overwhelming, but somehow Theo resisted.

Mason turned the dial of his contraption, making blue lightning dance across the cage, sizzling and crackling with menacing life. He turned it off and they all looked up at the rumble of thunder that echoed overhead.

They moved into their positions, with only Hayden standing in the open, in the middle of the room. A flash of lightning hit the rod, and then the Ghost Rider was there. Hayden turned and ran, and it chased her, straight into the cage. As she ran through the gate, Liam slammed it shut behind her, locking it.

Behind the Ghost Rider, Scott did the same thing. Except the door stuck, and the Ghost Rider was striding towards Scott. Theo ground his teeth together from where he hid in the shadows. He had no choice. If they failed, they were all dead. He rushed forwards, helping Scott with the door, both of them pitting their strength against the Ghost Rider.

It grabbed Theo by the jumper, trying to haul him into the cage and Theo growled, his eyes flashing.

"Keep closing it," he yelled, screaming in pain as Scott crushed his shoulder with the door. Then Liam was there, hauling him back, and Scott roared, his eyes flashing red as he wrenched the door shut.

Only then did Mason run forward, spreading the mountain ash in front of the cage.

"Go, go," Scott yelled. Mason, Corey and Hayden ran from the room while the three of them stared at the Ghost Rider trapped in the cage. He had one hand on his holster as he considered them.

Scott smiled, holding up the Ghost Rider's gun. Thunder echoed around the room. He looked up, raising his hand to the roof. Lighting shot down the rod, following the cable and rolling uselessly around the cage. He lowered his arm back to his side.

"It worked," Scott panted.

"We did it," Liam said triumphantly.

"Yeah, we did," Scott said with a smile.

They frowned, pausing, as the Ghost Rider raised both arms, calling upon more and more lightning. The transformer beeped madly, the glow inside of it intensifying. Somehow, it did not explode, and the Ghost Rider dropped his arms once more.

"Now what do we do?" Theo asked, shifting nervously. He did not like this one bit. Normally, when things got this dangerous, he was the first to bail. The urge to dash out of the room and make a run for it was almost overwhelming.

"We try and talk to him," Liam said, stepping closer to the cage. "Mr Ghost Rider?" He cleared his throat. "Mr Rider?" Theo and Scott exchanged a look, equally bemused. "We'll let you out if you tell us how to get our friends back."

"Everyone," Scott said, "we want everyone back."

"Tell us how to get them all back," Liam said firmly.

Theo looked at the two of them, genuinely shocked. "This was the plan?" Contempt flooded him. How had these morons ever managed to defeat him?

"There wasn't a plan for this part of the plan," Liam said through gritted teeth.

"It's ok," Scott said. "Look, we've got him trapped, he can't get out. We just have to figure out how to communicate with him." He paused, frowning as he looked at the Ghost Rider. "Maybe he can't hear us."

"Maybe he speaks an ancient language," Liam offered.

"Maybe he only responds to pain," Theo said grimly, stepping between the alpha and beta, eyes dark as he stared at the Ghost Rider.

"Or fear," Liam said, shrugging.

"Nothing's gonna scare this thing," Theo said, shaking his head. "I mean, look at him, he's a walking corpse." There was a long pause as they stared at the Ghost Rider and he stared back.

"Something's wrong," Liam said, frustrated. "Why did he stop trying to get out?"

The Ghost Rider screeched, an unearthly sound that made the three of them flinch.

"Wait, did he just call for backup?" Theo asked, feeling jittery. If there were more Ghost Riders on the way, he was out of there, thank-you-very-much. He was not putting his existence on the line, not even for the chance, however slim, of being part of a real pack.

"When Corey made the Ghost Rider visible at the party, another one showed up," Liam explained.

"We have to figure out how to talk to him," Scott said, "or else get the hell out of here."

As thunder rumbled again, the three of them turned as one, seeing Parrish standing in the door. He walked up to the barrier of mountain ash, and the Ghost Rider approached the door, considering him.

"That's progress," Theo muttered. It was reacting to Parrish, head tilted to the side as it considered him.

"Ask him how we get everyone back," Liam said.

"Tell us how we get everyone back," Parrish said, power thrumming in his voice. The Ghost Rider hissed.

"What was that?" Liam asked.

"Did he say something?" Scott pressed.

"He said hellhound," Parrish responded.

"Is that a good thing?" Theo said. It recognised what Parrish was, clearly this thing was smart. Parrish just looked like a normal human, although to Theo's werewolf senses, he could clearly smell the otherness, the ash and smoke that always slowly drifted around the hell hound's scent.

"Ask him again," Scott instructed.

"What do you want from us?" Parrish asked.

"We are the Wild Hunt. We hunt forever. Those who hunt with us hunt forever," The Ghost Rider said, his voice echoing through their minds.

"What does that mean?" Liam asked.

"Tell us what you want," Parrish growled.

"We are the Wild Hunt. Those who hunt with us hunt forever," it repeated.

"That clarifies things," Theo said, eyes glued to the Ghost Rider. Why was he still here? What kept his two feet rooted to the ground? He could not care less about getting Stiles or anyone else back. He did not care about anything other than his own survival. What was stopping him from running out that door and never looking back?

With a scowl, he looked down at his left wrist, tugging at the string. Liam glanced at him. He knew exactly what was keeping him here. Possibility.

"What do we do to get everyone back?" Scott asked. "Do you want something from us?" It turned to look at Scott.

"Why's he looking at Scott?" Liam asked, sounding panicked, looking away from Theo.

"They figured out Scott's the alpha," Theo said quietly, realisation dawning.

"There must be something you want," Scott said desperately.

"There is only The Hunt," The Ghost Rider said ominously. "No one resists. No one escapes."

"If they can't be bargained with, we're going to have to fight them," Scott said grimly, turning to look at his two betas. They looked back at him and watched as Scott stepped up to stand beside Parrish. "I'm coming for my friends. I'm coming for everyone. I won't stop. I'll never stop until we get everyone back."

The Ghost Rider turned away to look at Parrish, hissing at him in his sibilant language.

"Parrish," Liam said. "What's happening?"

"Scott," Theo said, warning him. The scent of smoke intensified, making his nose twitch. Flames engulfed the hell hound, burning away his clothes. He stepped forwards, the mountain ash flaring blue. "What is he doing?" Theo said, panic making his voice tremble. The mountain ash was the only thing keeping them safe from this thing.

"He's gonna set him free," Scott said, his eyes wide.

The flames died down and Scott and Liam lunged towards Parrish, pushing him away from the cage.

"Parrish, stop," Scott yelled. Parrish shrugged them off, and Theo reached forward to grab him, only to burn his hand on his shoulder. Parrish looked at him, eyes glowing orange, empty of all expression.

He roared, shoving Theo back, and he fell onto the ground with a groan of pain. Theo watched in horror as Liam and Scott did everything in their power to keep Parrish back.

"We need to do something," Liam growled, grunting as he tried desperately to keep the hellhound away from the cage.

"On three," Scott yelled. They paused, gathering their strength. "Three!"

They roared, using every ounce of their combined strength to force Parrish out the door. The three of them fell to the ground. Theo glanced at them from the door, watching as Liam's hands shook while the burns healed away. They got to their feet, continuing to shove Parrish further and further away from the bunker. They would be fine.

Ducking back inside, he ignored the burning, tugging sensation on his left wrist and grabbed the half-empty jar of mountain ash, fixing the barrier. Fate could wait for a minute.

The Ghost Rider looked at him and then over his shoulder at the door. Theo whirled to see Mr Douglas standing there, watching him with a smirk.

"You been here the whole time?" Theo asked.

"How could I stay away?" He replied, his German accent thick. He was clearly done pretending, then.

"You should tell them who you really are," Theo said, "Hauptmann."

His eyes glow red as he wolfed out, snarling, and suddenly Theo was very nervous. He darted away, but Hauptmann lunged after him, claws plunging into Theo's back. He cried out in pain.

"Break the barrier," Hauptmann said, hauling him back towards the cage. "Break the barrier, or I'll rip you in two."

"I can't," Theo snarled, "I'm not a chimera anymore."

Hauptmann threw him to the side, and he landed painfully on his back. "Where's Mr. Bryant?" He asked.

"Corey?" Theo asked, his eyes flicking up involuntarily.

Hauptmann smirked and disappeared back outside, and was back a minute later, hauling in Corey by the throat, throwing him down in front of the cage. Theo scrambled backwards until he was pressed against the wall, his eyes wide as he panted through the pain. His back was almost healed, and as soon as it was, he was out of there.

"Break it," Hauptmann commanded, pressing a boot against Corey's back. He snarled at him, eyes flashing defiantly.

"No," he growled, teeth bared.

Hauptmann pressed down harder, and Theo flinched as he heard his spine crack. He would heal, but it would be agonisingly painful.

"Break it, or I'll crush you," Hauptmann said malevolently, red eyes narrowed, a cruel smirk on his lips. Corey groaned, eyes dull with pain.

With a muttered curse, he reached forward and brushed the mountain ash aside. Hauptmann kicked him out of the way and he screamed, passing out from the pain.

Hauptmann opened the doors, pacing around the Ghost Rider.

"It's been a long time," he said, cracking his knuckles. The Ghost Rider pushed his jacket to one side, pulling out his whip. He unfurled it, and whipped it towards him, but Hauptmann caught it in his grasp, yanking the Ghost Rider forwards and grabbing him around the neck.

Theo watched in horror as Hauptmann bit down on the back of the Ghost Rider's head, spitting out flesh and bone, black blood dripping down his chin. He shoved his fingers inside his brain, pulling something out and eating it. Theo hyperventilated, eyes wide as saucers.

Hauptmann ran out the door, ignoring Theo and Corey entirely. Less than a minute later, Liam, Mason and Scott returned, Liam and Mason running to Corey while Scott strode to the door, taking in the corpse of the Ghost Rider and the large pool of blood spreading beneath him.

"What did you do?" Mason asked, staring at Theo, his eyes wild.

"It was Mr. Douglas," Theo said, panting, wiping blood from his chin. "He ate his brain." His voice shook as he stared at Scott.

"Scott was right, I was wrong," Liam growled, while Mason pulled Corey into his arms. "I'm sending you back." Theo shrank back, eyes wide as he looked into the furious beta's eyes, the cold of the cement wall behind him seeping into his body. He would give anything for Liam to stop looking at him like that. His wolf whined piteously.

"It wasn't his brain," Scott said, bending down to look closer at the Ghost Rider. "Mr. Douglas ate his pineal gland."

"It couldn't have been Theo," Mason said reluctantly. "These murders have been going on for weeks." Liam looked away from Theo and over at the Ghost Rider. Theo sighed with relief, slumping slightly, but eyes still tracing up and down Liam's body. He was the first to notice Liam's frown.

"Liam?" He asked.

"Guys," Liam said quietly. "His whip is gone." They all looked down at the Ghost Rider, seeing the empty holster. Liam's head whipped around, his eyes wide. "Wait, where's Hayden?" He asked, his voice rising in panic. Their faces fell, dread making their stomachs sink. Within moments they were all getting to their feet, voices loud as they planned their next course of action.

Theo grimaced as he sat up slowly. He stared down at the red string looped around his wrist, following it to where it held Liam. He twanged it, and Liam looked over at him, eyes glassy with unshed tears. Theo frowned thoughtfully.


	4. Chapter 4

_"What do we do with him?" Liam asked._

 _Mason had taken Corey home, and he and Scott stood at the door of the bunker, both looking at Theo as they tried to decide what to do with him._

 _"He comes with us," Scott said firmly. "I want one of us with him at all times."_

 _"We can't keep chaining him up," Liam said, shaking his head._

 _"We don't have a choice," Scott shrugged, already turning away, decision made. "He's too dangerous."_

 _The fear in Theo's eyes as Liam clapped the chain around his wrist and forced him to his feet made Liam feel like a monster._

'Another God-forsaken cage,' Theo thought bitterly, sitting against the cold wall of the jail cell. Surely, he had spent enough time in his own personal hell, without finding himself not only tethered to Scott's hot-headed beta, but in a literal cage in the Sheriff's station.

The way that Liam paced around the room was making Theo antsy. He got to his feet and stood at the bars, folding his arms as he listened to him prowl. Anyone would think that Liam was the one that was caged.

"So we should stay here. Is that what you're thinking?" Mason asked.

"It doesn't matter where we are," Liam growled, flopping down on the bench next to him with a sigh. "We still need to figure out how to fight them."

"No one can fight them," Corey said, a whine of pain slipping from his lips. He was still healing, and Theo flinched, feeling something that vaguely resembled guilt.

"Douglas can," Theo called out. He knew that Liam and Corey could hear him, just as he could hear them.

"Does he need to stay in there?" Mason asked. Theo could smell the reek of guilt coming from the human, even from here. Clearly, he was not happy with the status quo.

"He's still Theo," Liam muttered.

"Theo saved Scott. Remember?" Theo snarked, leaning against the bars. He looped the string around his wrist, playing with it.

"He can still hear you," Corey pointed out.

"Then he can hear me say he needs to shut up so we can figure out how to fight the Ghost Riders," Mason snapped.

"You don't need to figure it out," Theo said, rolling his eyes.

"Because Douglas already did," Liam breathed.

"If he knew how to fight them, then he might know everything about them," Corey said, following Liam's train of thought.

"And guess who knows all about Mr. Douglas?" Theo said, feeling triumphant. Maybe he would get out of this stupid cell after all.

He was rewarded with the three of them stalking into the room, a united front, facing him. Surprisingly, Mason was the one who stepped forward.

"You know what you need to do," Theo said, rolling his shoulders and giving Mason an arrogant smirk. He could play this game, it was as easy as breathing to him. They wanted answers, they had to give up something to earn it; his freedom.

"That's never going to happen," Mason said, his eyes narrowed. "We're not making that deal."

"I hold all the cards," Theo shrugged. He held the string in his hands, rubbing it, rolling it between his fingers. Liam would break eventually.

"You're locked in a jail cell," Mason said, gesturing towards the bars. "You have no cards."

"You want me to tell you about Douglas," Theo said, tilting his head. Success was within his grasp, he just needed to find the right words . "Break the sword."

Mason sighed, turning his back to Theo. "Does anyone else want to do the negotiating?"

Theo smirked. "Break the sword."

"I'll break the sword. I'll break it right in-"

"Corey," Liam interrupted, getting up and moving to stand in front of the cell. Corey fell back, bowing his head.

Finally, Theo thought, we are getting somewhere. Liam stood in front of him, both hands on the sword, his eyes piercing Theo's as he considered him. Theo pulled the string tight.

"You break, I talk," he said. Liam narrowed his eyes and Theo continued. "Come on, guys." Slowly, he got to his feet and took a step forwards, and then another. He looked at each of them in turn, trying his best to sound earnest. "Look, I don't want to hurt the pack. I don't want anyone's power. I just wanna stay alive." He stared at Liam, and his wolf perked up. He probably could not hurt Liam even if he wanted to. His wolf would not allow it.

"How do we know if we let you out, you won't run?" Corey asked.

"Cause we're not letting him out," Liam said. "He's going to tell us from in here."

It was as good as he was going to get, for now. "I'm still going to need some incentive," Theo said, looking down at the sword.

He could see the way Liam was warring with himself, his mouth set in a scowl as he searched Theo's gaze. Desperately, Theo plucked the string, and Liam glanced down, and then he was turning away, the sword held in both hands.

Theo held his breath as Liam unsheathed the sword and then turned back around, his decision made. He held the sword up in front of him, and for a sickening moment, Theo thought that Liam was going to plunge it into the ground. Fear roared through him, making him feel faint.

Closing his eyes, he waited for the inevitable.

The harsh clatter of the broken pieces of sword hitting the floor made him flinch. Theo opened his eyes slowly, taking a shuddering, shaking breath as he stared down at the scattered pieces, before looking up at Liam.

Tension sizzled between them like electricity. Theo dropped his gaze first.

"He's a Lowenmensch," he said.

"What the hell is a Lowenmensch?" Corey asked.

"It's part-wolf, part-lion," Mason said quietly, frowning.

"He was a part of the Ahnenerbe, Himmler's personal project to use the Occult to win the war," Theo continued.

"We broke the sword for nothing," Corey said bitterly.

"Wait, if that was back in 1943, where's he been all this time?" Mason asked, looking confused.

"Douglas kept looking.," Theo said, wrapping his hands around the bars. "He found a scientist that he thought could help him. Three of them."

Liam gasped, and glanced at Corey and Mason. Theo ignored him.

"The Ghost Rider's whip didn't go deep enough to take him, but left a gash on his back. He was thrown into the tank and the wound infected the water," Theo explained. "It mixed with the fluid from the vat and actually made him stronger. Soaking it in, absorbing the power for 70 years."

"So, he came out with the power of an Alpha, a Lowenmensch, and a Ghost Rider," Liam said, shaking his head as he turned away.

"A side effect no one could expect," Theo shrugged.

"So he can fight them," Corey said. "He could stop them."

"The Nazis lost the war," Liam said, frustrated. "Why is he still obsessed? What does he want an army for?"

"He doesn't want it for them. The Nazis were just a means to an end," Mason said quietly, horror making his scent sour. "He wants it for himself. His own personal, supernatural army."

"We need to warn Scott," Liam said, his eyes wide with panic.

The three of them ran from the room, not sparing Theo another thought. His hands curled around the bars, as he snarled with frustration.

He had hoped that Liam would relent and let him out, but clearly Scott was far more important to him.

The door to the Sheriff station opened, and boom of thunder and crack of a whip signalled the return of the Ghost Riders. Mason screamed Corey's name, and Liam roared.

"Run," Corey yelled desperately. Then there were only two heartbeats, Liam and Mason's.

Theo scrambled back, making himself as small as possible, hiding in the darkest corner of the cell. His heart raced in his chest as he listened to the battle, to the crack of two more whips.

His wolf whined, clawing at his chest, desperate to help the other beta. Theo's eyes clenched shut, every sense focussed on Liam's heartbeat. As long as it was still beating, there was still hope. Again and again and again he wound the string around his hand, as if he could pull Liam closer to him if he wound it up enough.

Mason's heartbeat disappeared, and then Liam's was moving further away as he sprinted from the police station. The string tugged at his arm, and he fought against it, holding onto it with both hands as he gritted his teeth. It stretched but did not snap.

Theo curled in on himself, trying to make himself as small as possible, holding his breath, clutching the string to his chest as he strained his ears for any sound.

I'm not here, he thought desperately, there's nothing here.

It felt like an eternity before he heard the thud of the front door slamming shut behind the Ghost Riders. He gasped for breath, hand clutching his chest, massaging it.

He left me here, Theo thought, incredulous, Liam actually left me here.

Slowly, he stood up. There was not a single heartbeat anywhere in his vicinity. Beacon Hills was a ghost town. And if Liam did not come back, then the best Theo could hope for was for a Ghost Rider to find him.

Liam had better come back.

Theo dragged his shaking body up onto the bench, his arms crossed, a scowl on his face. And he waited.


	5. Chapter 5

_"I'm not saying you have to like him," he said, following the Sheriff into the police station. "I'm just saying maybe he can help us."_

 _"Liam," Stilinski said, half turning to shoot him a reproachful look, "I'll consider asking Theo for help when I don't have a station full of armed deputies to back me up."_

 _They stepped into the main office, finding it eerily silent, completely empty. The radio buzzed with static as Stilinski played with the dial. "Any available units, this is Sheriff Stilinski. Do you copy? I repeat, any and all units, this is Sheriff Stilinski. Respond immediately with your 20."_

 _Horror dawned on the Sheriff's face as he realised what Liam already knew._

 _"All units-"_

 _"They're gone," Liam said gently. The only three people left alive within ten blocks of where they stood were in this building. He had felt a twinge of guilt at abandoning Theo to his cell, but warning Scott had been more important. He was not sure if he was relieved or not that even the Ghost Riders did not want Theo._

"That, that, that's not possible," Stilinski muttered. "They couldn't have taken everyone."

Theo glared at him from where he stood behind bars. "They didn't," he growled. Their heads whipped towards him, and slowly, they walked closer. "Please, please tell me that you brought the key card."

"I also brought my gun," Stilinski scowled.

"And your sense of humor," Theo said nervously, his eyes drifting down to where the Sheriff had one hand placed over his holster. "That's great. But if we're the only ones left in Beacon Hills, then we need each other. Which means you need me out of this cell."

He was desperate to leave the cell. He would say anything, do anything. His wolf was restless beneath his skin, making him itch.

"We need to trust you," Liam said quietly. Theo almost cursed. Liam was so naive. Who cared about trust? This was about survival.

"Then you need to get realistic, because trust is not important right now," Theo growled. "It is us against them and you want a lot more of us considering how many of them there are."

"I hate to say he's right but," Liam said reluctantly, turning to look at the Sheriff, "he's kind of right." Stilinski glared at Theo, looking him up and down, his eyes judging him and clearly finding him lacking. Theo cursed under his breath. He was a hard nut to crack, more so than Liam, who was already halfway to trusting him.

"If I let you out and I see any behavior that I find remotely suspicious, I'll put so many bullets in your head, God won't even recognise you," Stilinski warned.

Theo was fed up. "I'm an atheist. Fire at will." He knew that goading the Sheriff was probably a bad idea, but he was so sick of being treated like the embodiment of pure evil. Stilinski held up the key card, his hand hovering near the cell. Theo's eyes were glued to it.

"You're gonna need to be a bit closer than that, Sheriff. Wave it over the card reader, come on," Theo said, waving a hand near the reader. Desperation made his voice tremble. "Right here. Up and down. You can do it."

"Sheriff, we need him," Liam urged.

Stilinski just stared at him, and Theo lunged for the card but the Sheriff pulled it out of his reach, giving him a cocky smile, like Theo had just confirmed something for him. Theo panted for breath, his wolf howling in his chest, making him see red. He was shaking, panic setting in. He was never getting out of this cell, was he?

"Tell me something," Stilinski drawled.

"What? Tell you what? What are you talking about?" He demanded.

"Tell me about my son. Tell me one thing about Stiles that you remember. Just one," the Sheriff said, turning the key card over in his hands.

Thunder and lightning rattled the windows of the police station, and Theo's anxiety spiked even more. The Ghost Rider's were here, and he had a feeling that he would not escape their notice quite so easily a second time.

"You swipe that key card, I'll tell you anything you want," Theo said, his voice shaking.

"Sheriff. They are coming," Liam warned.

"One thing. Just one thing!" The Sheriff said, calling his bluff. Theo stared at him, and then pressed against the bars as Stilinski turned away.

"He was smart!" Theo yelled. Stilinski turned back. "Smart enough not to trust me." They stared at each other, and then the Sheriff nodded, striding forwards to release Theo.

As they walked back into the main office, the wind howled, and they could all hear horses whinnying outside.

"They're here," Liam whispered.

"How close?" Stilinski asked.

"Too close," Theo said, his head tilted as he heard the clip-clop of hooves moving closer.

"How many?"

"I heard a couple horses, maybe more," Liam said.

"Five. I, I think five at most," Theo said, his senses straining as he tried to tell how many Ghost Rider's waited outside. His heart was racing, fear sour in his stomach. How ironic that he had finally been let out of his cell, only to run straight into the jaws of death.

"Three of us. Five of them," Stilinski said, cocking his gun. "You ready?" Theo grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Wait, are you kidding? Us against five Ghost Riders?"

"We can take 'em," Liam said.

"Five of them?" Theo said incredulously.

"Three of us," Liam shrugged.

Stilinski charged forwards, and Theo cursed under his breath, unleashing his claws. The Sheriff opened the door, and the three of them stopped, eyes wide as horror made their hearts skip a beat. In front of the station was at least ten Ghost Riders, if not more.

The one in front slowly held up a gun, shooting the Sheriff, who disappeared in a cloud of green smoke. Theo and Liam both whirled out of the way, either side of the door. They stared at each other and then Liam was reaching over, grabbing Theo's wrist and hauling him over to his side. Liam did not let go of Theo's wrist straight away like Theo expected, the heat of Liam's hand burning into his skin much the same as the red string had done.

"Two of us," Theo growled.

He followed Liam as he sprinted through the station, bursting out the back doors to find a line of cop cars. They launched themselves at the nearest one, jumping inside.

"Keys, keys!" Theo urged. Liam hauled the box open and found dozens of keys of varying shape. Theo groaned. "Are you serious?"

"Here," Liam said, shoving one into his hands. Theo tried and then shook his head, dropping it on the floor.

"Give me another," Theo said.

"Which one?" Liam said, panic making his hands shake.

"Any of them. Come on!" Theo yelled.

"There's a lot of keys here!" Liam yelled back, picking up and discarding multiple keys.

"I really feel like you're not even trying right now, Liam," Theo growled.

"I'm trying!" Liam shrieked. He passed Theo another key. He tried it and threw it on the ground.

"No. Come on, Liam, give me ano-" Liam passed him possibly the smallest key in the whole box. Theo growled. "This isn't even a car key!"

Theo looked up, seeing at least three Ghost Riders standing in front of the car. They were being surrounded.

"That's a small key, that's too small, too small!" Liam muttered, rustling through the keys.

"Come on!" Theo growled.

"Okay, here, take this one," Liam said, thrusting another key into his hand. Miraculously, it fit, and the car rumbled to life.

"Whoa! Yes! Go, go, go!" Liam yelled, elated, fists pumping in victory. Theo grinned at him, and then put the car into gear, placing one arm behind Liam's seat as he reversed, looking over his shoulder.

The car shook as they hit the Ghost Rider that had been standing behind them. Theo and Liam looked at each other, eyes wide with shock. Liam smiled, and Theo smiled back. With a squeal of tires, he accelerated hard and they tore out of the carpark and onto the road.

"Where does this take us?" Theo asked, his racing heart slowly calming after driving for a minute.

"The hospital," Liam said.

"Hospital? Why the, what the hell are we supposed to do at the hospital?" Theo asked urgently, glancing at Liam and then back at the road.

"Hide," Liam replied. "Look, we can't outrun them, right? I know every inch of that building. Every room, every corner."

"Hide, that's the best that we've got?" Theo's heart sunk. Liam really was not an ideas guy. How the hell was he going to keep Liam safe? Because letting Liam die just was not an option anymore. His wolf was curled up at the moment, content with how close he was to his mate, satisfied that he was in no immediate danger. But that would change. Theo's mind raced, trying to think of what else they could do.

"We just need to keep them away from Scott for as long as possible," Liam said firmly.

"Why? What's he gonna do?" Theo growled.

"He's gonna remember," Liam said.

"Remember what?" Theo pressed.

"Stiles. He has to remember Stiles," Liam said, looking at him with those puppy eyes. Theo shook his head. Their whole survival centred on Scott's brainpower. They were so screwed.

"What if he can't?" He muttered.

"Then the rest of us? We get forgotten," Liam said grimly.

They were silent the rest of the way to the hospital, both of them lost in their thoughts. Theo pulled into the car park and they got out of the car, striding towards the front doors of the hospital. Liam paused, his eyes intent as he glanced at the ambulance sitting right in front of the hospital.

"Liam, come on. We don't have much of a lead on them," Theo urged. He watched, confused, as Liam climbed into the ambulance, turning on the siren. "What the hell are you doing?"

He rushed towards the ambulance and Liam grabbed his arm. "Don't! Don't turn it off!" He yelled.

"You want to bring them all here? Every single one of them?" Theo yelled, panicked. He tried to get past Liam to turn off the siren but Liam shoved him back.

"That's exactly what I want to do. 'Cause if the Ghost Riders are here, that means they're not trying to get to Scott," Liam explained.

"So you don't care if they get to you?" Theo asked, shaking his head incredulously. He really had no sense of self-preservation.

"They're gonna get to all of us eventually," Liam shrugged.

"You! You're going first. That's the only reason I'm with you," Theo hissed, shoving a finger into Liam's chest, frustration making him nasty. "Because while they're busy wrapping a whip around your neck, or shooting a hole in your head, I'll be running the other direction. I'm on your side as long it helps me."

Even as he was yelling it, he knew it was not even remotely true. He wished it was. It would be much simpler.

"Trust me, I know," Liam said in a low voice, shoving Theo again. Theo looked at Liam, and then shook his head, turning to lead the way into the hospital.

He ran inside and then skidded to a stop at a familiar hallway. His eyes went wide as he heard Tara whisper his name. He could almost see her, crawling towards him. His heart raced.

"Theo?" Liam's voice echoed, like it came from down a tunnel. His limbs were heavy, and he was frozen in place. The nightmare gripped him, even as he tried to shake it off. "Theo?" Liam repeated. Theo turned his head towards Liam, seeing the concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine," Theo muttered. "Just, just thought I was somewhere else for a second."

"Where?" Liam pressed.

"In a bad dream," he said, shuddering. They both turned back towards the front door, where a crash and the whinny of a horse echoed. "You said you knew where to hide," Theo said urgently.

"Follow me," Liam said, taking off down the hallway. Theo ran after him. His heart jumped into his throat as Liam turned into the morgue. God, anywhere but there.

"This is your brilliant idea? To barricade ourselves in the morgue?" He asked, his pulse rocketting.

"The Ghost Riders go after the living," Liam said, opening one of the locker doors. The smell of decay was almost overwhelming to Theo's newly sensitive nose. "So we hide with the dead."

"I'm not getting in one of those," Theo said in a low voice. Liam wrinkled up his nose and sighed.

"Me neither," Liam admitted, closing the door.

"You should've left me in the holding cell," Theo said, claws pressing into his palms as he tried to calm down. He hated feeling trapped, but this illusion of hope was cruel.

"I should've left you in the ground." Liam said. Theo turned to look at him, shocked that sweet, innocent little Liam would say such a thing.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really," Liam nodded.

"What do you think I was doing down there?" Theo asked, his voice rising in anger. "Just hanging out with my dead sister? Having a good time catching up on childhood memories?"

"I think you were rotting down there," Liam spat.

"Liam finally gets one thing right," Theo scowled. He turned away, disgusted by how upset he was at Liam's words.

"I also think whatever happened to you, you deserved it," Liam continued.

"Is that right?" Theo said, staring at the floor. His hands were shaking.

Liam stepped closer. "When the Ghost Riders find us, I'm not gonna do anything for you. I'm not gonna help you. I'm not gonna save you. I'm gonna do exactly what you would do to me. I'm gonna use you as bait."

Theo stared at him, seeing the conviction in Liam's eyes. Maybe he had some self-preservation after all. The siren stopped, and Theo turned towards the door.

"You still hear the ambulance?" He asked. Liam looked around. "The siren, can you still hear it?" Liam shook his head slowly. "They're here."

They stood by the door, hearing the rattle of spurs as the Ghost Riders kicked in doors, looking for them. As quietly as they could, they moved the gurney that was barricading the door and lined it up. Their eyes communicated the plan, words unnecessary.

Just as a Ghost Rider pushed at the door to the morgue, they rushed forward, crushing it against the opposite wall, where it crumpled. Their victory was short lived, however, as four more Ghost Riders walked towards them.

"Hide with the dead?" Theo said.

"It was worth a try," Liam called as he turned and ran. Bullets flew towards them, narrowly missing them both as they sprinted around the corner.

Only to run straight into another Ghost Rider. Liam wrestled with it, grunting as he held him off. Acting purely on instinct, Theo pulled at the string, and Liam flew backwards as Theo tackled the Ghost Rider around the waist, shoving him through the nearest door. Liam jumped back up to his feet and grabbed a crutch, shoving it through the handle, locking it.

They smiled at each other, impressed with how good a team they made. Theo knew the real reason, could feel it thrumming around his wrist, warning him that Liam was in danger.

The sound of Ghost Rider's stalking through the halls around them, above them, below them, made Theo look around wildly. "They're everywhere," he growled.

"Good," Liam said, his eyes flashing.

"Really? You really need me to remind you that getting captured by the Ghost Riders isn't gonna help you save your friends?" Theo pointed out.

Footsteps approached down the hallway, and Theo could see the shadow of a Ghost Rider on the wall.

"We're both getting caught," Liam said. "You can do it while you're running. I'm going down fighting."

Then the Ghost Riders were there, standing at the other end of the hallway. Theo looked from Liam to the Ghost Riders and then back again. There was no hope, no other option. Liam flicked out his claws and roared his fury at the Ghost Riders, goading them. He sprinted towards them, and Theo stared at his back.

That was his mate, flinging himself head first into danger. His wolf snarled, and for once, Theo was in complete agreement. Not today, not like this. He roared, eyes flashing gold and claws elongating.

Claws and fangs tore into flesh, blood flying through the air, coating the floor, as the two betas worked in unison, sending Ghost Riders flying in every direction. Theo kicked, punched, clawed, snarled his way through them, but for every Ghost Rider he killed there was another one to take its place. Somehow, he managed to duck and weave between bullets and avoid whips, but in the chaos he was separated from Liam.

The string was still glowing, so he knew Liam was alive, but it quivered in his hand.

Theo dispatched one last Ghost Rider with a huge surgical knife and panted, gasping for breath. Another one grabbed him around the throat, and he turned slightly as he saw Liam through the door, grappling with another one.

The Ghost Rider forced Theo to his knees, and he snarled, trying to fight for breath. Then it was gone, falling backwards in a flash of green powder. Theo turned his head to see Liam holding the gun of the other Ghost Rider, and watched as he turned it on the other one and shot it as well. Theo blinked and then grabbed the gun of the Ghost Rider who had tried to strangle him out of its holster and pocketed it.

He rose to his feet slowly, shocked. Liam had saved him. The other boy approached him, looking smug, and Theo nodded his head, a smile dancing on his lips. They went to fist bump, but their hands never met. Behind them, several more Ghost Riders appeared.

Theo looked around, his mind racing. Liam was covered in injuries, his shirt torn and blood dripping from several wounds from being thrown around the hospital. He could not fight much longer, and Theo had to protect him. Losing Liam was not a risk he was willing to take. He saw that they were right by the elevator and he rushed towards it, mashing the button. Liam roared his defiance, but Theo ran back and grabbed him, forcing him inside the elevator.

"What are you doing?" Liam yelled. Theo looked at him, smiling, as the doors began to close.

Liam would escape, live to fight another day. "Being the bait," he said. The doors closed.

"No!" Liam screamed.

Theo felt the tug of the string but ignored it, turning to glare at the Ghost Riders. With Liam out of the way, he could test out his new powers. He roared as they advanced towards him. As soon as they were close enough, he smirked, pulling out the gun he had picked up earlier. They were fast, but he was faster.

He dodged every single one of their bullets, feeling like they were coming at him in slow motion, his yellow eyes tracking each one. He crouched and cocked the gun.

They shrieked as he shot each of them in turn.


	6. Chapter 6

_The power flickered off and the elevator rumbled to a stop. Liam forced the doors open and stepped out into the hallway, looking carefully up and down each hallway._

 _He walked forwards slowly, fists clenched. His mind was reeling at what had just happened. Theo had sacrificed himself for Liam, but why? Why would he do such a thing?_

 _A flickering sound made him turn, and then there was a sign behind the front desk, with departure and arrival times on it, like at a train station. He jumped backwards as a train track appeared in front of him, cutting through the main hallway of the hospital. He felt guilty- Theo was his responsibility and he had lead him straight into the hands of the Ghost Riders._

 _Liam's heart thudded in his chest. Was he the only one left alive in Beacon Hills? Had Scott failed?_

 _With a shake of his head, he followed the track. Might as well see where it lead._

Theo walked along the tracks, following the red string. It was shining brightly, no longer thrumming. For now, at least, Liam was safe, but for how long?

He was bruised and filthy from fighting his way out of the hospital, his clothes shredded on his body. Desperation had kept him alive, but he was exhausted. He just wanted to find Liam, force him into a car, and drive until Beacon Hills was nothing but a distant memory.

Suddenly, he was in front of the high school, and he sighed deeply. Of course Liam was here.

The loud neigh of a horse made Theo's heart stop, and he bolted forwards, the string burning his hand. He raced through the building, the string guiding him. Ahead of him, he could hear a struggle and Liam yelling.

Bursting out onto the balcony, Theo rushed forwards and stabbed the Ghost Rider that had his hands around Liam's throat with his claws, digging them into its back.

Liam staggered away, coughing and gasping for breath.

"Hey, you made it out," Liam said weakly, rubbing his throat.

"Yeah, barely," Theo grunted, struggling with the Ghost Rider, trying to strangle it in turn. "What's the plan?"

"Steal a horse and get into the hunt," Liam explained.

Theo's head whipped around as he stared at Liam. "You're kidding, right? I went through all this to keep you from being taken."

"You need a hand?" Liam asked.

"I'm good," Theo growled, whipping the Ghost Rider out of the way and cracking its neck. "Go, already, go!" He yelled.

Liam needed no more encouragement, running and launching himself off the balcony with a roar. Theo dispatched the Ghost Rider with a grunt and then raced to the edge of the balcony. Liam was sitting on top of the horse as it danced nervously underneath him.

"You know how to ride a horse?" Theo asked.

"Not really," Liam replied. Theo shook his head, bemused, but impressed despite himself. Liam may not be an ideas guy, but he always committed. Liam rode away into the night, and Theo looped the string around his hand, reassuring himself, and his wolf, that Liam would be fine.

With Liam gone, he was completely alone. For once, he could hear no Ghost Riders near him, and there was not a single other heartbeat within his vicinity.

It was the first time that he had been alone, and not locked in a cage or running for his life. He took a deep, shaky breath, frowning thoughtfully down at his hands.

What should he do?

On the one hand, Scott was no doubt running around here somewhere, trying to save the day. Theo could probably find him fairly easily and pitch in.

But on the other hand, there was nothing stopping him from getting the hell out of dodge.

Slowly, he made his way back inside and down the stairs, walking out the double doors and towards the pitch. On the other end of it was the preserve. He had hidden his car out there before he had been taken. He could find it easily.

He teetered at the edge of the pitch, uncertainty making him shift from side to side on the balls of his feet.

Pack or survival?

A shock ran through him, making him fall to his knees with a howl of pain. It burned through his chest and down his left arm. The red string burned to ash and floated to the floor. Tears of agony slipped down his cheeks and he screwed his eyes shut, trying to stem the flow.

"Liam," Theo whispered, his voice dull with pain. He had made it into the Wild Hunt then, and there was no telling if he would ever make it back.

He knelt there for a few minutes, trying to pull in air to his burning lungs, shuddering with each breath. The keening sounds that came from his throat as he lost control of his wolf were painful. It did not understand what had happened, only felt the loss, the lack of Liam on this plane of existence. My mate, it howled, my mate is gone.

They ran into the forest, feet pounding, head pounding, heart pounding, throwing themselves with reckless abandon through the undergrowth. Sticks lashed against their arms but they barely noticed. It was not fast enough, it was not far enough, they could not outrun their heartbreak.

Theo ripped off his clothes, eyes burning, and then they were on all fours, diving into their wolf shape. Distantly, Theo noticed that it was a lot bigger than it used to be, and then all thought was gone.

There was only the sounds of the forest, and the feeling of dirt beneath his paws as he ate the miles.

He followed an old trail and came into a wide clearing, just off the road that lead to Derek Hale's house. Sniffing around, he trekked a minute further and then turned back into a man.

His truck was exactly where he had left it, completely untouched. He had been afraid that someone might have vandalised it or stolen it, but he had clearly hidden it well. There were no foreign scents around his truck other than his own. Though his scent was slightly different back then, a trace of chemical tainting it, making him wrinkle his nose in disgust.

Theo opened the back door, grabbing a pair of sweats and a hoodie pulling them on. Then he climbed into his truck and sighed, weariness making him slump against the steering wheel, resting his head on top of it.

It had been a long night. He ached all over from his many fights, and the exertion of running through the forest. He ran one hand through his hair, pulling away a handful of twigs and leaves, discarding them to the side.

Before he could examine his actions too much, he pulled down the visor and grabbed his key, putting it into the ignition and starting up the truck. It roared to life as he turned it on, pulling out from the hidden nook and driving back onto the track. Within a few minutes, he was on the road, gripping the wheel tightly as he headed out of town.

Liam was gone, he did not need his help anymore. Scott would be fine. He had to think about himself. His wolf, curled into a tight little ball in his chest, made no objection.

He got as far as the town line before he was forced to stop, pulling over to the side of the road.

Clutching at his chest, he gasped. His connection to Scott was gone as well. Somehow, they had gotten his alpha.

If you had been there, something inside him seemed to whisper. He growled, hitting the steering wheel in frustration.

If Liam was gone, and Scott was gone, he was the only person left alive in the entire town. If he left, Beacon Hills would be wiped from the map.

"God fucking dammit," he screamed, punching the steering wheel again.

He had been so close, so fucking close, but even Theo Raeken had a conscience, and he could not condemn thousands of people, his pack included, to the Wild Hunt.

With a shuddering, shaky breath, he cursed, and turned his truck around.

He drove to Liam's house without even thinking about it, pulling up out the front and cutting the engine. Theo got out of the car and let himself in, climbing the stairs to Liam's room.

Inhaling deeply, he stood at the door, looking around at the discarded clothes, the guitar propped up against the desk, the gym bag overflowing with lacrosse sticks, the rumpled bed.

He sighed as he flopped down in the middle of the bed, surrounded by Liam's scent. There was nothing more Theo could do but wait. Wait and hope that Liam's stupid plan, whatever it was, actually worked.

After a minute, he sat up, eyes wide as he felt his connection to Scott flare back to life. Somehow, his alpha had returned. It flickered in and out, static in his chest.

His alpha needed him.

He took the stairs two at a time, throwing himself outside and sprinting towards the signal, warmth growing in his chest. He was not alone, he was not the only one who was left.

He slowed down as he heard Scott's heartbeat. The wind changed, and he could smell Hauptmann and a huge gathering of the Wild Hunt. He heard Hauptmann taunting Scott, and even though he was terrified, he stepped out from behind the trees.

"You of all people, Scott, should know what happens to a lone wolf," Hauptmann said.

"He's not alone," Theo yelled. "He's got a pack."

Another heartbeat burst to life and then Malia was there beside him. "And Theo's not in it. But I am." Theo rolled his eyes. He was Scott's beta now, there was nothing Malia could do about it. Another heartbeat, and Peter stepped out from the shadows as well.

"I'm not in the pack," he said helpfully. "But no one likes a Nazi."

The two sides launched at each other, and there was chaos, screams and roars punctuated with the explosion of bullets and cracks of whips. Theo dodged from side to side, snarling viciously as he swiped at Ghost Rider after Ghost Rider, kicking and punching, whirling from fight to fight, his eyes burning yellow as he fought alongside his pack. For the first time in his entire life, he was not running. Power thrummed under his skin and he relished in it.

Distantly, he heard Hauptmann snarling at Scott. "Your little friends are no match for the Wild Hunt. There are too many of us and too few of you."

Out of the corner of his eye, Theo watched Scott fight with renewed fury, getting closer and closer to the diverter.

He could hear the train getting closer, the horn shrieking, the rumble of wheels on the track. They were running out of time.

Malia flipped over a group of Ghost Riders, stalling one and grabbing its whip. She pitched it to Scott, who grabbed it from the air. Hauptmann dived, missing it by an inch, and Scott whipped it, wrapping around the diverter. He pulled, and the tracks shifted.

The train screeched past them, successfully diverted.

Theo watched from where he lay on the ground, blood dribbling from his mouth as Hauptmann shrieked his fury.

"You missed your train," Malia laughed. Theo's lips quirked. Trust Malia to have the sass back ready.

Scott roared at the top of his lungs, a signal.

Theo's heart thudded in his chest. A signal for who? For Liam?

The Ghost Riders circled them, and Theo got to his feet, standing behind Scott, his eyes wary.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and lightning flashed, lighting up the sky. Slowly, the Ghost Riders lowered their guns, holstering them.

Theo realised that he had been right when he had told Liam and Hayden that the Ghost Riders had been stuck. And now, they no longer were. As one, they turned and began to walk away along the tracks.

Hauptmann swivelled his head around. "Where are you going?" He demanded. "Stop! Come back and kill them!"

"Call your army back," Theo said. Hauptmann turned and shot a glare at him over his shoulder. "Or don't they listen to you?"

"I am your leader," Hauptmann growled, following after the Ghost Riders, "obey me!"

One of the Ghost Riders stopped. The rest of them stopped as well, all of them turning around to stare at Hauptmann.

"Kill them," he said menacingly. "All of them." He whirled around to face Scott and his pack, a smug grin on his lips. Theo shifted uneasily. He did not have much fight left in him. It had been a very long, very stressful few days. He was wrung out.

But instead, the Ghost Riders circled around Hauptmann.

"The Riders don't bow," Peter said, smirking. "They have no leader."

They converged on Hauptmann, surrounding him. His skin turned white, cracking, and his eyes sunk into his head, leaving only a black void. When they pulled away, Hauptmann shrieked. He was a Ghost Rider.

With a deafening crack of lightning, they were all gone..

Theo's wrist burned and he looked down at it, a soft smile on his face as he saw that the red string had returned. Liam had made it.

"I guess that's it," Scott said, turning to look at them. Theo nodded slowly, looking up to meet Scott's eyes. He was shocked at the warmth in Scott's gaze. "Thank you, Theo," Scott said. Theo blinked as his connection to Scott burned, getting stronger. He trusts me, Theo realised.

"He's still not in the pack," Malia muttered.

"Yeah, he is," Scott said gently, softening the blow by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing her temple.

They walked off. Peter nodded at Theo and then trailed after them. Theo watched them go, emotion overwhelming him.

He took a few deep breaths, calming himself, and then ran to join them.

They found the others at the hospital. Theo hung back while they crowded around each other, slapping backs and hugging, celebrating another victory for the McCall pack. He just leaned against the wall at the back of the room, playing with the string, listening to Liam's heartbeat. It was pathetic how reassuring it was.

"Hey," Liam said, coming to stand beside him.

"Hey," Theo replied, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. "I guess your crazy plan worked then."

"It did," Liam nodded. "Scott said you helped him against Hauptmann and the Ghost Riders."

"I did," Theo said, smirking.

"I thought you would bail," Liam admitted, turning to look at Theo, one shoulder against the wall, his arms folded.

"I almost did," Theo said quietly, staring down at his hands. "I got as far as the town line."

"What made you stop?" Liam asked.

"I felt Scott die, or get captured, or whatever," Theo said. "And I knew I was the last one left in Beacon Hills."

"And if you left, then the Ghost Riders could have moved on," Liam finished, eyes wide. Theo nodded. "You saved us all then."

Theo shrugged. "I guess."

"Look at you," Liam said, grinning, "Theo Raeken, the hero."

"Shut up," Theo muttered, rolling his eyes, a faint blush on his cheeks. Liam laughed, and then everyone in the room was looking at them. Theo shifted uncomfortably, but for once, there were no glares directed at him.

"We all made it," Scott said, one arm around Stiles and the other around Malia. He was beaming, and Theo found himself reluctantly smiling back at him.

They basked in this for a few moments, and then the silence was broken by Stiles. "So, why is Theo here again?"

"I bit him," Scott said, "he's my beta now."

"Literally what the fuck, dude?" Stiles said, pulling away from Scott to stare at him, shocked and horrified. Theo shrank back. Scott cared what Stiles thought. Had fate been so cruel as to offer Theo everything he had ever wanted only to rip it away?

"He saved us," Liam growled, shifting slightly to stand in front of Theo.

Theo stared at the back of Liam's head.

"Have you forgotten what he's done?" Stiles asked, looking from Scott to Liam and back again.

"Nogitsune," Mason coughed into his hand. Stiles glared at him, but Mason only shrugged. "Just saying dude, those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

"Harsh," Peter said from the door, smirking, "but fair. I could also point out that I did some pretty awful shit and yet somehow you all tolerate me." Malia looked at Peter thoughtfully, and then over at Theo, but she said nothing.

"Same with Derek," Lydia pointed out helpfully.

"We're a pretty forgiving bunch, really," Scott said cheerfully.

"Fine," Stiles muttered, his expression dark, "but I still don't like it."

Theo shuddered, inhaling sharply, only just realising that he had been holding his breath. Liam turned, looking at him with concern.

"You ok?" He asked quietly.

Theo nodded, rubbing a hand over his chest. Liam looked down, his brow furrowing.

Then he was turning away, Hayden slipping her arms around him as he kissed the top of her head.

"You expect me to do what?" Theo asked, incredulous. In front of him were Scott and Liam. The rest of the pack had left the hospital for their various homes. Mason was in the hospital room with Corey, who was still recovering, while they stood out in the hall.

"Come back to school," Scott said. "You need to graduate."

"I died," Theo said.

"But you got better," Liam chirped.

"Yeah but I died, Liam. How am I supposed to explain that?" Theo growled.

"Lydia's mum is the principal," Scott reminded him. "She can help us spin a believable story."

"What you fail to realise is," Theo said, getting frustrated, "that I died. There would be a death certificate. They probably rented out my house to someone else. The only reason I have my truck is because it was stashed in the preserve."

"Easy fixed," Scott shrugged. "I'll just get my dad to hack into the system and make it disappear."

"Just like that?" Theo asked, incredulous.

"Yep," Scott said. "And you're staying with me." He turned and walked away, and Theo stared after him.

"What? No, I'm not," Theo argued.

"Yes you are," Scott called back. "If I don't see you there in 20 minutes, I'm hunting you down."

"Fuck," Theo cursed, kicking the wall.

"It won't be that bad," Liam said.

"Easy for you to say," Theo growled. They turned and started walking out of the hospital.

"It could be worse," Liam offered. "You could be homeless, or dead, or still in the ground."

"Yeah, thanks, very helpful," Theo said, scowling. Liam nudged his arm, smiling at him, and in spite of himself Theo smiled back, rolling his eyes.

"Can you give me a lift home?" Liam asked when they reached the car park.

"I can't," Theo said, avoiding Liam's gaze.

"Why? Where's your car?" He asked.

"Parked outside of your house," Theo admitted. Liam stared at him, his mouth gaping open.

"Why?" Liam asked, eyebrows rising almost into his hairline.

"Just where I ended up," Theo said vaguely, waving a hand dismissively.

"Ok," Liam said, tilting his head slightly and looking confused. Theo walked a little faster, and Liam had to jog to catch up to him. "So we're really walking all the way to my house?"

"We don't really have a choice," Theo responded, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Your shirt is like literally torn to shreds," Liam pointed out. "Someone will probably call the police." Theo stopped, turning to look at Liam. "What?"

"Wait here then," Theo said. He stripped off his hoodie, chucking it at Liam, and then pulled down the sweats. Before Liam could do more than stammer in surprise, he turned into a wolf, grabbed his sweats in his mouth and loped away.

"What the fuck?" He heard Liam whisper, and he smirked inwardly.

He was much faster as a wolf, and there still was not much in the way of traffic or people around. Five minutes later he was at Liam's house, jumping into the truck and chucking the sweats back on. With all the fighting he had been doing recently, his wardrobe was becoming seriously limited. Within ten minutes he was back at the hospital, finding Liam exactly where he had left him.

"Your wolf got so much bigger," Liam said as he climbed into Theo's truck and put on his seatbelt.

"Yep," Theo smirked.

"Like, twice the size at least,' Liam continued.

"Coyotes are smaller than wolves," Theo shrugged, taking off again.

"I guess. Also, why are you not wearing a shirt?" Liam asked. Theo glanced at him, finding the beta looking out the window in a very determined manner, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Couldn't find a shirt," Theo said. "I think they're all ripped now."

"Here," Liam said, stripping off his jacket and offering it to him. Theo looked at Liam and then at the jacket and slowly reached out a hand, taking it off him and shrugging it on, nodding his thanks. Liam's scent swirled around him, comforting. His wolf wanted to rub his face on it. It was very weird.

He cleared his throat, and gripped the steering wheel as he focussed on getting Liam home and out of his truck as soon as possible.

A few minutes later, he pulled up in front of Liam's house.

"I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow," Liam said as he undid his seatbelt.

"I guess you will," he agreed with a grimace.

Liam grabbed the handle of the door, but paused before he exited, looking at Theo, a serious look on his face.

"I really appreciate everything you've done, Theo," he said quietly. "And I'm sorry for what I said at the hospital. I didn't mean it. I'm glad I rescued you from hell, and that I broke the sword."

Theo bowed his head. "Thanks," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Liam nodded, and then smiled. "Later."

And then he was gone, rushing off in typical Liam fashion, mind already onto the next thing. Theo stared after him, watching as he let himself into the house and listening as he made his way up into his room.

A pause, and then. "Why does my bed smell like you?" Theo's eyes widened and he started up his truck. "I know you can hear me, Theo," Liam growled.

Theo did not answer, just putting his foot down and taking off. Nope, definitely not addressing that, never happened, no idea what he was talking about.

By the time he got to Scott's house, his heart had stopped racing. Scott was sitting on the front step, idly twirling his phone in his hands.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming," he said, getting to his feet as Theo got out of his truck.

"I had to drop Liam home," Theo explained.

"Ah," Scott said, giving him a knowing look. Theo scowled at him.

"I'm here, ok," Theo muttered.

"So you are," Scott said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "I've just made up the spare room for you. Now all we have to do is-"

"-let your mother know?" Melissa interrupted, standing at the front door, her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed. Scott gulped audibly, and Theo stilled, guilt flooding him. This was one of the wrongs that needed to be righted. He had killed Scott, even if only temporarily, and that was not something that a mother would forgive easily.

"Mum," Scott said, his expression pained.

"You know, Scott, just because you're the alpha, doesn't mean you have to take in every stray you come across," she said, staring at Theo.

"It sort of does, actually," Scott said, shifting uncomfortably. "And Theo isn't a stray. I bit him. He's my beta now. My beta, my responsibility."

"You bit him?" Melissa asked. "I thought he was a chimera."

"It's sort of a long story," Theo muttered, dropping his eyes to stare at the ground.

"Liam bought him back from hell but he had lost his powers. Malia almost killed him but we needed his help so I bit him," Scott explained.

"Not that long, apparently," Melissa said, raising one eyebrow. She looked at Scott. "You trust him?"

"We're getting there," Scott said, glancing at Theo.

"Alright," she said, standing aside. Her eyes were wary, and she was shaking slightly, but she was letting him into her home. She had no idea how much it meant to him, even that tiny amount of trust.

"Thank you," he said earnestly, pausing on the top step. She looked into his eyes, searching them, and then nodded. He brushed past her and walked inside.

Theo had passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. When he woke up, it was to Scott wafting coffee under his nose.

"Come on, Theo, time to get up for school," Scott crooned. Theo tried to grab the coffee but Scott moved it out of his reach, placing it on the desk on the other side of the room. Theo buried his face into the pillow, cursing stupid alphas and their stupid ideas and stupid school.

"Lydia already talked to her mum," Scott said from the door. "And I called dad before I went to bed last night. Everything is sorted for you, dude."

Theo sat up, staring at the alpha blearily.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"Yep. I mean, you missed a fair bit so you'll have to do summer school to graduate, but that's better than nothing," Scott shrugged.

"I guess I can live with that," he sighed.

"Good, cause you have five minutes to get up if you want any breakfast before we leave for school," Scott said cheerfully, pulling Theo's door shut.

"I don't have any clothes," Theo called out.

"I put some in the dresser last night," Scott called back.

"Thought of everything," Theo said, rolling his eyes as he got out of bed and went straight for the coffee. He took a sip and sighed happily.

It was so bizarre to be getting ready for school after everything that had happened. His school bag was still in his truck with all of his books, discarded there several months earlier. He was fed, showered and clothed and then before he knew it he was standing in front of the high school, bag slung over one shoulder.

"Do I really have to do this?" He asked, turning to look at Scott.

"I think you can handle one day," Scott said, clapping him on the shoulder and then walking off, calling out to Stiles and Lydia. Theo watched them chatting happily as they walked inside.

"Hey," Liam said, walking up to him.

"Morning," Theo said grumpily, falling into step beside him.

"It's so weird seeing you back here," Liam smirked.

"Tell me about it," he muttered. "I never thought I would actually finish high school."

"Don't you have to do summer school?" Liam asked.

"Yeah," Theo said, holding the door open for Liam, who brushed past him. "That's the main reason I came in today, to grab my course work from all my teachers."

"Sucker," Liam sniggered.

"I don't know what you're laughing about," Theo sneered. "Don't you still have a year left?"

"Shut up," Liam grumbled, shoving him. Theo laughed.

"Hey guys," Mason said nervously. Corey and Hayden were standing with him, and all three of them were glancing between Liam and Theo, looking confused. Theo nodded at them, smiled at Liam and then walked off down the hallway. Behind him, he could hear all three of them hissing at Liam.

"What the hell, Liam?"

"He's Theo. He's a dick, remember?"

"What? Are you friends now?"

Theo played with the string, looping it around his fingers as he listened for Liam's response.

"He's not that bad," Liam protested. Theo paused just before he turned the corner, glancing over. Liam was looking at him. Theo winked at him, and kept walking. He smirked all the way to his first class.


	7. Chapter 7

_The Wild Hunt had changed everything. Although long gone, the effects continued to bleed into Liam's everyday life. First, there was the building fear that once Scott and the others left, if anything like this happened, and come on, it was Beacon Hills, so it was only a matter of time, Liam would be the one in charge. Stiles had started calling him 'Baby Alpha' and no matter how many times he had complained that he was not an alpha, the nickname seemed to have stuck. Scott was treating him like glass, tip toeing around him like he was about to break at any time, always careful not to show any preference to his new beta and over-compensating by smothering Liam with affection he did not want, but his wolf needed, thrived on even._

 _Then there was the new beta himself. Theo, who always seemed to just be around. His scent was all over Scott, a side effect of his new living situation. The former chimera was everywhere, at Scott's house, running through the preserve, at the school gym. Liam could not remember the last time he had left his house without seeing Theo's stupid, pretty face._

 _Finally, there was the issue of the red string looped around his wrist. He found that he could not always see it. Not with his human eyes anyway. Since coming back from the Hunt, Liam had begun to notice it with his Wolf's eyes, sometimes catching the after image of it when they flashed back to blue. It seemed to be endless, coiling around him and away. Liam had no idea what it was tying him to._

 _Liam was able to push the curiosity down until his world was once again flipped upside down._

 _Hayden. Was. Gone._

 _They had been in the middle of the woods when she had given him some half-hearted excuse about how her sister needed her protection, and that she was not safe in Beacon Hills any more and that she was sorry._

 _Apparently she had waited to tell him until the day she was leaving, because then she was gone, with Liam sitting stunned under a tree, his heart breaking like the leaves underfoot as she walked out of the preserve._

 _That was when stupid Theo had found him, with his stupid perfect face and stupid perfect hair. He had hauled Liam to his feet and dusted him off roughly, shoving him in the direction of his truck. He had taken him to Scott, who had looked at him with soft eyes and let him lie, wrapped up like a burrito and surrounded by Scott's scent, while life went on around him._

 _It was during those catatonic first days after The Leaving, as Stiles had put it, that Liam had begun to allow himself to get to know Theo._

* * *

Theo was a goddamn mess. He was not meant for domesticity, so living in Scott's house, with Melissa's begrudging care, put him on constant edge. It was not going to be a permanent solution. Theo was sure the minute Scott set off for college, his mum would be showing him the door, so he forced himself to appreciate the little things while he had them.

Things like hot water, food, and clean clothes.

And easy access to Liam.

Theo made every effort to be near Liam, which living in Scott's house made easy. McCall's pack seemed hell bent on spending every available moment of summer vacation together. Theo hung back, sorting through the various scents to hone in on Liam's, reading his emotions and filling them away. It was a comfort, being able to be this close, the string slack around his wrist and the apparent miles of it tangling around his feet and being trodden on by everyone.

Theo was getting sick and tired of never knowing when the red string would pull tight, constricting his breathing, or whip him around violently until the only thing to do is go find the young Beta and listen to his heartbeat until his own calmed in his chest and he could breathe easy again.

Fate was turning Theo into a creeper.

He had spent way too many nights sitting outside of Liam's house, hidden in the bushes, enhanced hearing focussing in on Liam's steady heartbeat, ignoring the disgust his wolf feels when it is joined by Hayden's.

The Wolf inside Theo is a possessive son of a bitch and he cannot help himself when Hayden steps outside of Liam's house, pulling the string so it pulls tight about a foot off the ground, shoving his hand into his mouth to stifle his laugh when Hayden trips and face plants down the steps. His plan backfires when Liam follows her out to investigate the noise, scooping her in his arms and taking her to the swing seat under the front porch. Her healing has kicked in by the time he has her there, and so he sits there while they kiss, scowling and twisting the red string around his hands plotting his next move.

Surprisingly, Hayden is the first one to call him on it.

"Why do you keep looking at him like that?" She hissed. Theo was at the school to submit a summer school project, the whiff of Liam's scent in the air drawing him out towards the lacrosse pitch. Standing at the corner of the stands, he was struck by the sight of Liam, shirtless, pitching ball after ball at Corey.

"Like what?" He drawled back, looking up at her over the top of his sunglasses.

"Like you like him, which we both know can't be true, because that would mean you'd have to have feelings." Smiling at her, Theo moved up into the stands.

"Well, I am a changed man." He said, stretching out next to her. There was silence for a few minutes, with her glaring at him while he watched Liam. "How is your sister?" He asked eventually, sounding bored. Idly, his eyes tracked the twists and turns of the string as it zig-zagged across the pitch, trailing after Liam as he flew across the grass, mouth twisted in a grin as he flipped and turned before crouching and letting the ball arc past Corey's blind spot and into the goal.

"Was that a threat, Theo? Because I swear to God-"

"I'm an atheist," he grinned, finally turning to look at her, "and I'm the least of your worries, living in this town, what with Scott about to leave." Hayden looked panicked.

"It's going to be fine. Liam-" she rushed.

"Is not going to have Scott, Stiles, Lydia, or Malia around to help him," again he smirked. Hayden's buttons had always been easy to push. "The Hales are all MIA, apparently there are some old pack-mates in London and Paris. Maybe we can start a group chat. Get their input when Liam's control slips."

"Liam's control has been fine," Hayden huffed, eyes darting as she processed Theo's words.

"Until he loses it. If it were up to me, I'd get the hell out of this town. Take all that's dear to me and run."

Suddenly Hayden stood, flicking her hair as she stormed out of the stands and in the direction of the car park. Pushing his sunglasses up his nose, he tugged gently on the string, and was rewarded when Liam looked up and waved.

Turned out it was as easy as that, and soon, too soon, Theo was following the tug of the string into the forest, finding Liam sitting in the dirt with tears running down his face. Theo had been on the edge of town in his wolf form, once again overcome with the need to escape and determined that today would be the day that the damn red string snapped. He had felt the now familiar pull, gentler than normal, but still firm in its insistence as it pulled him back through town and into the preserve, straight to Liam.

Getting rid of Hayden had been in the back of his mind since his return from hell, but seeing the wreck before him on the forest floor, a flash of regret shot through him, making him wonder if maybe it had been the right thing to do after all. Liam looked broken. Theo cocked his head to the side in question, as Liam raised one tired arm to bury his hand into the soft fur of Theo's neck.

"She's gone." Liam said in a small, strained voice. "Hayden left me." Theo let out a soft whine in response, noting the way the miles of red string seemed to pull around them, tangled in the trees and bushes of the forest. Theo sat quietly with Liam until the stars began to show above them, the Three Quarter moon above shining on Liam's pale skin and Theo's black fur. When Liam's body began to shake with sobs again, Theo made the decision to get Liam out of there.

When pulling at Liam's pants leg got no response, he shifted. Unashamed of his nudity, but gaining enough of a reaction from the other boy to be able to pull him to his feet, Theo roughly patted him down to dust the dirt and leaves off his clothes. Liam's eyes failed to focus as Theo man-handled him forward, pushing between his shoulder blades as he led them out of the forest and towards where the truck was parked.

Once Liam was safely buckled in the front seat (and Theo swore to all that he held sacred that he would never tell another soul he had needed to buckle Liam's seatbelt like a toddler while the other boy's body was wracked with silent sobs) Theo pulled some sports shorts from the back seat and pulled them on. He hopped barefoot and shirtless to the front seat, firing up the engine and allowing the wolf inside him to steer the truck towards Home, Den, Alpha, Scott.

* * *

Liam laid on the bed, catatonic, swaddled like a baby in Scott's duvet and sandwiched between his Alpha and whatever member of the pack was there at the time.

Scott had a mountain of pre-reading from UC Davis on the night stand he was steadily working through.

Lydia had cooed softly and ran her fingers through Liam's hair, promising that it would be ok.

Stiles had flopped down, telling Liam he was 'a strong, independent young man, who didn't need no girl,' before spending the next four hours swearing at Super Mario on Scott's Nintendo DS.

Malia had wrapped Liam in her arms, spooning him and making ridiculous threats against Hayden until Scott had warned her that murder should not always be her go-to.

Mason and Corey had lay on either side of him while Scott was at work at the animal clinic, talking over the top of him in soft tones about everything and anything, filling the silence with meaningless conversation.

And Theo, paced around the house, waiting patiently for them to all leave, conscious of every muffled sob and sniffle that came from Scott's room, his heart flipping in his chest as he ached to fix it.

Theo laid down gingerly next to Liam the first night, red string wound tight around his fingers, and listened as Liam's breathing soon evened out.

"It's the first time he's slept all day," Scott said, sitting up and stretching. Theo felt guilty, eyeing the tangles of string laying on Scott's bedroom floor. His own heart and mind were calm as he focussed on the warm weight of the Liam burrito next to him.

"Go take a shower dude." Theo said, not ready to acknowledge what he felt to his alpha, "I'll watch him for a bit." Scott looked skeptical for a moment, before glancing wistfully at the bathroom door.

"You know, I'm going to take you up on that." Scott's eyes were kind as he moved from the bed, the bones of his neck and back popping after a day laying down. Moving across the room, he quietly gathered his clothes and towel. Theo stretched out, letting his head sink into the pillow and breathing in the reassuring smell of the pack, now embedded in Scott's sheets. Theo was surprised as the lull of sleep began to grab him, his eyes drifting shut.

Jerking upright as a loud bang and Scott's swearing filled the room, Theo blinked as he looked at the ridiculous sight of his alpha, eyes glowing red and legs completely tangled in red string. Before Theo could consider coming up with an excuse Scott was using his extended claws to cut his way out of the tangled mess.

All at once Theo felt like he was back in the hospital, Tara ripping his heart from his chest. Before Scott could ask the question already forming on his lips, Liam clutched his own chest and taking in a shuddering breath, his whole body began to shake. Scott was up out of the tattered remains of the red string and at Liam's side before Theo could pull himself out of the nightmare that was engulfing him.

Liam's whimper promptly dragged Theo back to reality and straight into action. Pushing Scott's hands off of Liam's body, he slipped one into Liam's hair, the other gripping his wrist where the remaining string hung loosely.

"Theo? What's wrong with him?" Scott asked in a panicked voice. Theo looked around frantically, his own panic rising with his heart rate.

"Scott- I- oh." Theo grasped his own end of tattered string, pulling the two frayed ends together and tying a rough knot. It healed seamlessly, like it had never been broken. All at once, Liam stopped shaking, though he mumbled under his breath, frowning in his sleep. Theo's heart eventually stopped racing and Scott stared down at Liam, looking as though someone had just kicked his puppy.

Only after Theo had reassured himself, and his wolf, that Liam was fine, did he stop looking at Liam's face and down to where only about three meters of string remained coiled on the bed. The rest was slowly disappearing. He sighed, realising immediately that he would be spending even more time with the beta while he worked on stretching out their connection again.

"Theo, do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Scott was looking between them with his human eyes, not taking in the vanishing lengths of string still on the bedroom floor. Theo frowned again. Where do you even start explaining that since you had been brought back from hell you'd been tied to a sixteen year old boy by a freaking red string of fate?

Theo gaped at him, and Scott flashed his eyes, taking in the red loops around their wrists and the last of the vanishing string.

"Kitchen, now." Scott growled, Theo felt his body responding to his Alpha as Scott stood and moved across the room towards the door. Theo moved to follow him, getting as far as the doorway before he was jerked back, reaching the limit of the string. "Theo?" Scott snarled from the landing of the stairs.

"I can't," Theo said in a small voice, before Liam rolled over in the bed, tucking his arms under himself and pulling Theo back into the room. Suddenly, Scott was behind Theo, having lept back up the stairs. With glowing Alpha eyes, Scott glared at him, making Theo shrink back from him.

"What have you done, Theo?" He demanded.

And just like that, Theo told Scott everything he knew. Gradually, Scott's eyes stopped glowing and turned back to chocolate brown, his face going soft as he listened to Theo's heart, clearly taking in the chemosignals coming from his beta before deciding that Theo had about as much control of the situation as he did.

"I've got to go meet Stiles, will you be ok?" Scott asked, glancing down at where Liam seemed to be sleeping peacefully between his Alpha and his apparent soul mate.

"Yeah, I got this." Theo said, then added as an afterthought when Scott moved across the room to grab his hoodie, "so you're cool on the werewolf code, yeah?" Scott just cocked his head and looked puzzled. "God, just don't tell Stiles, ok?"

Scott rolled his eyes but nodded, shutting the door behind him softly.

After Scott left, Theo lay down next to Liam, wrapping what was left of the red string around his hand. Focusing on the sound of Liam's heart, Theo drifted to sleep.

* * *

Someone was watching him. Theo did not even need to open his eyes, he felt someone's gaze on him, watching him sleep.

Now who was the creep?

"Go back to sleep Liam," Theo said softly, still not opening his eyes, but letting the corners of his mouth turn up as Liam's heart jumped.

"Can't," Liam sighed. "Finally slept too much." At this Theo turned his head and opened his eyes, focussing on the younger wolf lying next to him, hair messy from where it poked out of the cocoon he had created for himself.

"So you're just going to watch me sleep?'' Theo asked, not really fancying the idea of sleeping in the hall because Liam was a creeper and he could not get back to his own room because he could not be more than three meters away.

"Scott's on the couch down stairs," Liam said, cocking his head, clearly listening for the Alpha's heartbeat.

"So what? You want to have your way with me in the boss's bed?" Theo said darkly, enjoying the way Liam blushed and rolled onto his back.

"God! Nothing like that, you dick!" Liam sighed, voice full of mirth for the first time in days.

"Ok, So talk then?" Theo said, rolling on his side towards the other beta.

"I don't know what I did," Liam said in a small voice, shattering what remained of Theo's heart and causing him to grip tightly on the string.

As if sensing the pull, Liam rolled towards Theo, face earnest and waiting for Theo's response.

Now face to face, Theo was overwhelmed by how close Liam was.

"It wasn't you, Liam," Theo said, voice low.

"My anger though, it was too much for my dad. He left too."

"It wasn't that, Liam, that wasn't your fault and Hayden leaving wasn't your fault." It was mine, Theo thought, I caused this pain.

Liam made a noise in the back of his throat, not sounding convinced.

"Another subject, I think," Theo said, trying to sound upbeat to hide his breaking heart for the boy on the other end of the string. "All time favourite movie? Like, it's on TV, you have to sit down and watch. No judgment.' Theo smiled as Liam scrunched up his face in concentration.

"Rocky, hands down." Theo could not help but raise his eyebrows at Liam's answer. "What? Sylvester Stallone in his prime was majestic!" Theo, despite himself, snorted.

"I expected you to say something like Home Alone, would have thought you could relate?" Theo smirked. Liam threw himself backwards with a dramatic huff.

"Well first of all, I don't know what you're trying to insinuate."

Theo could not help the laugh that bubbled from his chest, settling further into the pillows as he racked his brain for more questions to distract the distraught werewolf.


	8. Chapter 8

_Liam laid down on the bench, a feeling of hopelessness making him groan while Corey and Mason bustled around him, gathering up all of his lacrosse gear and helping him into it._

 _They sniped back and forth, both of them fed up with Liam and his miserable countenance. Eventually, after threats from Coach Finstock, relayed through text messages from Scott, they got Liam up and out the door, rushing onto the field. He might be feeling a bit down, but he did not want to disappoint Scott and lose his captaincy to Diaz of all people._

 _He sprinted forward, saving a goal at the last minute, rushing down the field. Diaz chased him, and just as he was about to dodge, Liam saw a wolf out the corner of his eye. He turned, staring at it as Diaz flattened him, sending him flying into the ground with a sickening crunch. Diaz laughed as he backed away, while Liam tried to contain his emotions as he inhaled the scent of Theo and panic and shock._

 _Scott rushed towards him and Coach berated him, but Liam was staring at the wolf. Eventually, silence fell, as everyone else turned to look at the wolf as well._

 _Theo stared at them, fully shifted and growling, fear and anger swirling around him in a sickening cocktail._

* * *

Parking his truck in the car park, Theo snuck through the edge of the woods as he made his way towards the lacrosse pitch. He had been able to lengthen the string a little, but not enough to be on the other side of town while Liam was at lacrosse practice. Still, he did not want the other boy to know he was watching.

Also, Melissa was resting before her shift, and Theo did not want to disturb her. She had been nice to him, nicer than he probably deserved. Once she had gotten over her initial reservations and watched as he did his best to help around the house and not be a burden, she had slowly warmed to him. He felt beholden to her. She had let him into her home, despite his past, and had come to trust him and treat him with warmth. For Theo, who could not really remember his mother anymore, it was a relationship that he had no intention of ruining.

He was pulled from his thoughts just as he was about to reach the pitch, the sour smell of decay catching his attention. He paused, his senses straining as he tried to pinpoint the source of the taint in the air. Fear, all he could smell was fear, that and the metallic tang of blood.

Theo shucked his clothes, folding them up neatly, and then changed into his wolf form. He had travelled no more than a few hundred metres when he found them.

Their eyes were open, teeth bared into a snarl. Their fur coats were matted with blood, gashes still open and oozing. There was a trail of them through the forest.

Theo backed away, feeling vulnerable, his wolf whining in his chest, desperate to get away. But Theo's only thoughts were of Liam, and Scott. He had to warn them.

He loped to the edge of the woods, stepping out onto the pitch. Theo paused at the edge, only just realising that he was a wolf when Liam turned to stare at him in shock. Seeing him being thrown to the ground was almost enough to make him lose his wolf shape, but he held on, trembling, while Scott and Liam approached him.

Still, he took note of the perpetrator, and then turned his attention to the boy directly in front of him. He stank of fear and Theo curled his lip. His nostrils were already filled with the bitter scent, and being inundated with even more of it made him growl.

"Nolan," Scott said in a low voice. "Nolan, hey, step back, man." Slowly, Nolan followed his instruction, his terrified gaze never straying from Theo. "Are you okay? What are you doing?" Scott growled, grabbing Nolan's arm and forcing him further back. Nolan glanced at Scott and then walked back to join the rest of the players.

Scott flashed his eyes at Theo, and he realised that Scott had not recognised him. However, Liam did, and as Theo turned to lead them to the woods, Liam followed, with Scott in tow.

"It's Theo," he muttered to Scott when they were out of hearing of the team.

"What?" Scott hissed. "It can't be."

"His form changed when you turned him," Liam explained. "He showed me after the hospital."

"Oh," Scott said, shaking his head.

They fell quiet as the felt the oppressive atmosphere of the woods. They paused behind Theo as they stared at the dead wolves, horror making their mouths gape open.

"Scott," Liam said in a strangled voice. The wolf closest to them jerked as spiders began pouring from his eyes, nose and mouth. Theo whined, turning to hide behind Liam, pressing against his legs as he tried to push him back and away from the threat. Liam tangled a hand in Theo's fur.

Theo lead them back to where his clothes were and changed back, the two boys averting their eyes while he got dressed.

"What was that?" Scott murmured, his brow creased with concern.

"Nothing good," Theo said, his face as dark as a thundercloud. His heart was still racing. The fear had affected him more than he would have liked, but being near Liam and Scott was helping. Whatever it was, the pack would figure it out.

"I'll see if Malia has any idea," Liam said, shooting her a text message.

"Good idea," Scott said. "She would know more about what would make wolves attack each other like that."

"What do you mean? Attack each other?" Theo asked.

"The claw and teeth marks were made by other wolves," Scott pointed out. "And there was blood around their mouths and paws."

"They were terrified," Theo said quietly.

"Of what?" Liam mused. The three of them stared at each other as they pondered this.

The team was long gone by the time they stepped back onto the pitch, and Theo gave Liam a ride while Scott lead them on his motorbike. Liam was quiet, his thoughts turned inward as he fiddled with something in his hands. His phone, Theo assumed.

Back at Scott's house, Theo stood at the door while Scott and Liam tried to force Scott's suitcase closed. Despite everything that was happening, Scott was still determined to leave. He could have offered to help, but he was not all that happy with the alpha going either. He had only just joined the pack and was feeling a little bereft.

"Whatever happened to those wolves was definitely supernatural," Liam said.

"Well, I wouldn't say definitely," Scott replied. Theo scowled. He was clearly trying to downplay it so that he could leave with a clear conscience. "It could've been a parasitic infection. I mean, we get dogs that come into the clinic that have bot flies coming out of their skin."

"Can that happen to people?" Liam asked, looking creeped out.

"Yeah, they crawl under the skin, lay some eggs, and eventually they burst," Scott said. Liam shuddered, and Theo curled his lip, feeling slightly ill. "So, you wanna talk about it?"

"I thought we were talking about it," Liam said.

"No, that's not what I'm talking about," Scott said gently.

"Oh. That," Liam scoffed. "Me."

"Yeah, you," Scott said. "Your fangs, your eyes, the growl."

Theo went to move forwards, reminding Scott that Liam had been reacting to him but then paused. He did not really want to draw attention to himself. This was a moment between Liam and Scott.

"Sounds like we're gonna talk about this," Liam muttered.

"You just gotta remember your mantra," Scott said. "What three things cannot long be hidden?"

"I haven't had to use that in ages," Liam whined. Theo considered this, realising that Liam had been a bit calmer recently. He had sort of expected that he would lose it when Hayden left, but apart from refusing to leave his bed, he had been fine.

"What three things cannot long be hidden?" Scott said again.

"The sun, the moon, the truth," Liam said, rolling his eyes.

"Again," Scott said.

Liam sighed and inhaled deeply. Scott stared at Theo while Liam went through his mantra again. When Liam said 'truth' Scott turned and raised his eyebrows at him. Theo scowled, slinking away to go to his own room. He still was not ready to talk to Liam about the red string. He was not sure when he would be.

"Better," he heard Scott say. Liam was calmer, his heartbeat slowing. Theo listened to it as he laid down on his bed, closing his eyes as he slowed his own heartbeat to match, playing with the string.

"You need to tell him." Scott said, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, having shown Liam out, and watching as Theo packed the dishwasher.

"Tell who what?" Theo asked.

"Tell Liam, your soulmate, about the string." Theo gripped the countertop tightly.

"You spoke to Deaton." It was not a question. Scott grabbed his backpack and pulled out some papers.

"I pulled out some stuff. You know, this would be a whole lot easier if I could tell Stiles or Lydia." Theo whipped his head around, eyes wide and panicked.

"Scott, they can't know."

"And they won't," Scott answered, meeting his eyes. "I pulled out some stuff about cutting the string."

"You tried that and it just got me stuck in the same room as Liam for a week." Theo said dryly, returning to the stack of dishes still to be placed in the dishwasher.

"No I mean cutting the string as in destroying the bond."

At this, the coffee cup Theo had used that morning slipped from his hand, bouncing on the open dishwasher door before smashing on the tiles.

"What?" Theo said, the wolf inside him recognising the threat immediately, sending a bubbling rage seeping through Theo's every muscle.

"Well the whole 'Red String of Fate' thing pops up all over the world in all the old texts, right, and Deaton has some old Romanian info on destroying the bond and un-tethering unwilling participants." Scott explained, misreading the rise in Theo's heart rate for excitement.

"Unwilling participants." Theo repeated, scooping up the broken cup and putting the large chunks in the bin before returning with the Dustbuster.

"Yeah, you and Liam, unwilling participants in the bond." Scott said cheerfully, shifting through the papers in his hands.

"Scott, I don't think you get it," Theo said slowly, fighting with everything to keep the wolf at bay.

"No, Theo, I don't think you get it." Scott said, finding the page he wanted. "It doesn't have to be like this, we just have to perform this and you can be free to chase anyone your heart desires." Scott explained.

Theo's wolf snarled, ready to lash out at his alpha, ready to do anything to protect his connection with his mate. Questions boiled up inside Theo. Did Liam and Theo have to participate in the ritual? Or was their bond vulnerable? Would Liam feel the same way at the threat of the string being cut? Lashing out, Theo slammed the dishwasher closed and stalked towards the alpha, flashing his eyes gold and letting his fangs drop down.

"What if I want it to be like this?" Theo asked. "What if the thought of you cutting the fucking thread makes me want to rip your throat out?" He was in Scott's face now, pushing him back into the hallway. Scott's eyes glowing red brought Theo back to his senses. Bundling the lengths of stretched out string into his arms, Theo bolted for his truck.

"Theo, wait!" He heard Scott call out, followed by the rustling of the papers as Scott tried to find the right one from the dropped mess on the floor. Sensing threat and worried that Scott was finding whatever spell could be used to sever the thread for good, Theo pushed as much of the string as he could gather into the cab of his truck before climbing in and fleeing the scene.

* * *

Theo might have been avoiding Scott after their fight, but there was no reason to make Melissa suffer for that. Scott might never let him back in the pack and he would soon be a lone wolf, but Melissa had been kind to him. It was his turn to take her dinner, and he had no intention of letting her down.

He walked into the hospital with a steaming bag of chinese take-out and found himself suddenly surrounded by Liam and Mason's scent. Worryingly, this was mixed in with the smell of blood and fear. Theo almost sprinted through the hospital, his head whipping around as he searched for Liam.

What had happened to him? He had felt nothing over their connection? Nothing that had indicated that Liam had been hurt. The string pulsed in his hand as his worry clawed at his chest, making him short of breath.

Then Liam was there, poking his head out of a nearby room. "Theo?"

"What happened?" Theo demanded, his eyes raking Liam's body for any sign of injury.

"Same as with the wolves," Liam said with a shrug. "There were rats at the school so we followed them and brought one to Melissa to see if she could figure out what happened to it."

"Oh," Theo said, rubbing his chest as his racing heart started to slow.

"Are you ok?" Liam asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I just smelt the blood and the fear," Theo admitted, feeling a little foolish now that he was calmer.

"Oh, well I'm fine," Liam said, and he moved aside to let Theo past.

"Theo," Melissa said, "please tell me that's not a rat."

"Chinese," Theo smirked. "So, I wouldn't count on it."

"Ha, ha," Melissa said sarcastically, kissing his cheek absentmindedly as she took the container of food from him. "Leave the rat," she said over her shoulder as she rushed from the room, inhaling the food as she went. Theo rubbed at his cheek, genuinely shocked by the affectionate gesture and pained that it would probably be the last.

"Why were you bringing Melissa food?" Mason asked suspiciously. Liam hit him in the arm, frowning at him.

"It was my turn," Theo said, cocking his head as he looked at the other boy, dropping his hand. It was hard for him to think that as quick as Liam had accepted him, had defended him, that the others thought he was the same monster that had gone into the ground. Even worse was the fact that he had thrown away his second chance at being part of a pack.

"He's been staying with Scott, remember?" Liam said with a shrug. Not any more, Theo thought sadly, not while Scott was a threat.

Before Mason could reply, they overheard a scuffle happening out in the corridor. They stepped outside to see two burly men yelling at each other while Melissa called for security. Theo rushed to Melissa's side while Liam strode forward, getting between the two men. "Sir, you need to calm down." He grunted in pain as one of the men punched him in the nose.

Security guards rushed forwards, grabbing them, while Liam breathed deeply, trying to contain his anger. Mason was unable to get past the crowd, but Theo was there, leading him away from the rest of the people, arm wrapped securely around his shoulders.

"The sun, the moon, the truth," Liam panted, repeating it again and again. Theo said nothing, just soothing Liam through their connection, rubbing the fingers of his spare hand over the red string. Slowly, he calmed down, until his claws released from his palms and his eyes stopped glowing.

They made it into the elevator, and just as the doors were closing, Theo looked to see a man with blazing orange eyes running towards the elevator, teeth bared. "What the fuck?" He muttered.

"What is it?" LIam asked wearily from where he leaned against the side of the elevator.

"I think it was a hellhound," Theo said with a frown.

They met back up with Mason out in the hospital carpark. Theo ushered them into the car and stood at Mason's door.

"I'll follow you guys," he said. Liam scowled at this.

"I don't need a babysitter," he muttered.

"Maybe," Theo said, raising one eyebrow, "but I'm not leaving you alone with a rabid hellhound on the loose."

"If it actually was a hellhound," Mason said. Theo ignored him, turning to get into his own truck and starting it up. They drove towards the school, with Theo following behind them.

As they walked into the school, they were shocked to come across Parrish talking to the hellhound from the hospital. "That's the same guy," Theo warned, his eyes narrowed as he glared at him.

"Something you let out," the hellhound said with a menacing growl. "It must be stopped."

"Is he talking about you?" Mason asked.

"I hope not," Liam said, shifting nervously on his feet.

The three of them took a step backwards as the two hellhounds ignited. "Get behind me," Liam instructed, pushing Mason back. Theo stood next to Liam, the two of them standing shoulder to shoulder, prepared for anything. They watched as the two hellhounds fought furiously, until finally Parrish slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Protect Mason," Liam growled, and before Theo could utter a word, Liam had launched himself at the hellhound.

"Run," Theo snarled to Mason. He took one look at Theo's face and bolted.

Theo watched in awe as Liam roared his fury, launching off from the lockers to kick the hellhound to the ground. It was easy to forget, sometimes, exactly how strong Liam was. He ripped off a locker door and swung it, striking it across the face. They tussled with the door, with it pressing Liam against the lockers. It leaned closer, and Theo growled as he moved forwards, hands ready on the string just in case he needed to pull Liam out of harm's way.

"If the Wild Hunt couldn't keep you, nothing can," it snarled in Liam's face. Then it seemed to realise something. "No. No it's not you."

Suddenly, Mason was back, and he sprinted towards the hellhound, swinging a metal baseball bat at its head. It grabbed the bat, melting it, and then flung it and Mason away, so that Mason hit the locker and slumped to the floor with a groan.

Theo was torn between helping Liam in the fight and getting Mason out of the way.

"Get him out of here," Liam snarled, as he launched himself off of the locker's one more, twirling through the air with a grace that Theo had not known he possessed, and then kicking the hellhound squarely in the jaw.

He grabbed Mason and hauled him down the corridor, shoving him into an empty room. Liam was strong, but even he could not hold his own against a hellhound forever.

Theo returned to find the two of them slicing each other up, with Liam furiously setting into the other with his claws. Theo rushed forwards as Liam slid down the lockers, clutching his chest.

"It won't stay hidden. It must be stopped. Nothing else matters," the hellhound growled. Then it scrambled to its feet and ran out the doors.

Liam groaned, muttering his mantra and closing his eyes. Theo ran out after the hellhound, watching as it ran into the woods. He bit his lip, worrying at it. Should he follow it?

No, Liam was injured, there was no way he could leave him. He pulled out his phone. He knew it was a long shot that Scott would even answer his call, but he had to try. Swallowing his pride and his wolf's feeling of anger towards the alpha, Theo squared his shoulders and hit the call button. This was more important.

"Scott?" Theo said as the alpha answered on the first ring.

"Theo? Thank god, so the info says that," Theo let out a snarl into the phone, silencing Scott.

"There was a hellhound at the high school. It attacked Parrish, Liam and Mason."

"Are they ok?" Scott asked, instantly on the alert.

"They're all injured," Theo said, "but nothing serious I think. The hellhound ran out into the woods."

"Alright, I'll follow up on that. You get them to safety," Scott instructed, before hanging up the phone.

Theo pocketed his phone and then turned around, walking back inside. Parrish had left from the looks of things, and Liam and Mason were no longer there. He could hear their heartbeats nearby and he followed them to the locker room, finding Mason passed out, with Liam taking his pain.

"Liam?" He whispered as he walked forwards.

He had his shirt off, and Theo winced as his eyes skimmed over the burnt claw marks that crossed his chest, black and oozing blood.

"Did you catch it?" Liam asked, his voice dull with pain.

"No, but Scott is on it," Theo told him, kneeling in front of the beta werewolf, looking up at him with concern. "Liam, you're already in pain, you shouldn't be taking Mason's as well."

"He passed out," Liam muttered, his lower lip trembling. Theo stared at him, his hands clenched into fists as a wave of helplessness roared through him. He should have stepped in sooner, then Liam would not be hurt. His wolf whimpered, wanting to curl around his mate and protect him.

"You look like you're about to do the same," Theo said gently. Liam's eyes were struggling to stay open, and the smell of his pain and fear made Theo desperate to do something, anything, to help.

"It hurts," Liam whispered, his normally bright blue eyes darkening as his pupils dilated.

Theo had never taken anyone's pain before, had never cared enough to try. But the sight of Liam, pale and shaking, his eyes watering, veins dark against his skin, made something inside Theo break and release.

He took Liam's left hand in his own, and reached his mind into Liam's body. Black veins shot up Theo's arm, making him wince. It was pain like he had never experienced before, liquid fire burning through him, his heart galloping in his chest as it spread through his entire body, stabbing into every muscle like knives.

Theo grit his teeth and bore it, tears tracking down his cheeks and dripping against his lips. He panted, tasting the salt. He focused on the beat of Liam's heart, even if he no longer had a pack, and even if Packless Omegas lived traditionally very short lives, he could still do this for Liam. Theo gazed into Liam's eyes, taking strength from him as he took his pain, his determination only growing at the sight of the other boy's relief.

Liam was worth it, worth every drop of agony that could be wrung from his body. Theo deserved the pain and suffering, relished it, almost. He had been given a second shot, and he had blown it. It was his job to protect Liam, and he had failed, and that hurt more than anything physical possibly could. His eyes flashed as he felt the connection between them strengthen even more, sinking its hooks into his chest, shining gold. Surely this would be the death of him. He would never survive the separation and he was not sure his wolf would let anyone try.

"Stop," Liam whispered after a minute. Theo glanced down, seeing that the gouges on Liam's chest had healed. He looked back up Liam, who had so much sincere gratitude flowing from him that Theo blushed and looked away. "Thank you," Liam sighed.

Theo said nothing, just getting to his feet and pulling Liam up as well. Between the two of them, they hoisted Mason up and made their way out to the car park. Theo's whole body trembled, aftershocks running through him. He felt open and raw, like someone had taken salt to an open wound and he did not say a single word the whole drive. Mason woke up halfway there, and he and Liam talked in hushed voices. He felt nothing but relief as he dropped them off at Liam's house and then drove around town aimlessly as he tried to process what had happened.

He found a quiet carpark and pulled into it, moving into the backseat as he laid down. Through the window, he stared up at the stars, feeling adrift, Liam's pain making him ache in unfamiliar ways. He was out of the pack, he had challenged the alpha. But for the time being, his wolf reminded him, he still had his mate.

Sleep was a long time coming.


	9. Chapter 9

_Melissa had come by to check on Mason earlier, diagnosing him with a slight concussion. Thankfully, it was not serious, and after taking some painkillers, he had been sleeping in Liam's bed ever since. Not that he needed them. Liam had laid beside him all night, keeping one hand on Mason's arm, drawing away his pain. Feelings of guilt wracked Liam's body, making it impossible for him to sleep._

 _His mind, inevitably, turned to Theo. The other boy had been around more and more, a strange look in his eyes that Liam found impossible to decipher. Theo had always kept a tight leash on his emotions, so he could never figure out what he was feeling. It frustrated him._

 _On the one hand, he was glad that he had rescued Theo. The other boy had saved Liam a few times now and who knew what might have happened if he had not been around. But on the other hand, he confused Liam. The sense of calm he felt whenever Theo was around made no sense to him. It was similar to the feeling he got from the red string that he still had not hand any time to investigate. Maybe he would ask Mason about it the morning._

 _Liam played with it idly, wrapping it loosely around his fingers, staring up at the ceiling, a light frown furrowing his brow._

* * *

Everytime he felt like he was just drifting off to sleep, something woke him up. Sometimes it was the rap against his window of yet another police officer, telling him that he could not sleep here. Sometimes it was a sense of unease, the feeling of being watched that made him sit up, searching the darkness around his truck for danger. Sometimes, and increasingly more often, it was the insistent tug of the string around his wrist that told him Liam was thinking of him.

Theo was pale with dark bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep, his clothes hanging off of his thin frame. He thought about apologising to Scott, begging for forgiveness really, and going back to stay with him, but his stomach still sank at the thought of the alpha formally removing him from his pack, or even worse, breaking his connection to Liam. He would not blame the other wolf if he did not want to be shackled to Theo, but he did not want to let Liam go, not even for his alpha, not until, at the very least, he had some idea of what Liam wanted.

He laid back in his truck that night, exhausted, when a spider crawled onto his hand. Theo watched it, twirling his hand around, watching in rapt fascination as it moved slowly over his skin. Then, suddenly, it burrowed into his hand. It crawled beneath his skin, agonisingly painful.

Gritting his teeth, Theo climbed into the front seat and started up his truck. He almost flew into the Animal Hospital, desperately opening and closing drawers. He found a mirror and a scalpel and grabbed them, moving over to turn the light on.

Theo ripped off his shirt and angled the mirror so that he could see his back where the spider was currently perched. It darted forwards and Theo growled as he stabbed it with the scalpel, pulling it out.

As he examined the spider, it vanished in a puff of smoke, and Theo's eyes widened. He had felt it, it had been real. Pain still lingered up his arm and down his back where it had crawled under his skin.

His mind reeled as he cleaned his blood from the scalpel and put everything back the way he had found it.

Back in his truck, he held his phone in his hand, his thumb hovering over the call button, staring down at Scott's name. Theo took a deep, shuddering breath as he pressed it.

It rang and rang and rang.

"Hey, this is Scott, leave a message."

Just as Theo was about to hang up, a rapping on the window made him look up. Instead of the cop he was expecting to see, however, there was a rough looking guy with a gun. Theo's head whirled around, finding another three of them surrounding the truck, all with guns pointed directly at him. His heart raced as he raised his hands, his eyes glancing over to see that the call was still going.

He shut his eyes as the bullets roared towards him, shattering the glass of the truck. Theo curled into a ball, crying out in pain as several of them hit him. Blood poured from his wounds, making him dizzy.

His phone dropped from his hand and landed at his feet. The last thing that Theo was able to do before he passed out was kick it under his seat.

* * *

Theo slipped in and out of consciousness. The hunters chained him up, keeping him weak with regular beatings and electrocution. His only escape was his mind, that and the comforting hum of the red string around his wrist. Liam would find him, he was sure of it.

Sometimes it was like being in hell again. Tara chased him relentlessly, through the hospital, through the school, through the preserve. She seemed to relish her new environments, finding new and inventive ways to rip her heart out of his chest. Theo was well past the point of caring. His body already ached and throbbed from head to toe, his body past the point where it was capable of healing itself. It said a lot about the treatment he was receiving that the beta of a true alpha could not heal himself anymore. The lack of sleep and proper nutrition for the past few days probably had not helped, either.

Interspersed through the nightmares and beatings were the dreams, moments where he dreamed of his pack. There were so life-like that Theo wondered if he was actually there with them, or if his deluded, starving, dehydrated, exhausted mind was just conjuring them.

 _Scott was running through the preserve, surrounded by red lights and heartbeats. Theo could smell his fear and hear Malia and Lydia calling his name. Scott skidded to a stop, surrounded. With a roar, Scott flung himself at the closest figure, eyes bleeding red and fangs drawn, only to stare down, shocked, at Sheriff Stilinski. The Sheriff helped Scott to his feet, calling for the other police officers to stay back while Scott calmed down. Theo placed a phantom hand on Scott's shoulder, and the alpha shuddered, taking a shaky breath. "Theo?" He whispered. "Scott," Theo whispered back, being drawn away into the darkness._

He woke to another beating, another nameless hunter punching him in the stomach. Theo watched him through lidded eyes, trying to hold in his groans. He did not want to give them the satisfaction. Eventually, the hunter got bored and walked away, and Theo slipped into another dream.

 _Liam was in the locker room, putting on equipment while Mason stood in front of him, talking earnestly. "I was saying that if we're talking about some sort of mythical creature that's so powerful the only safe place to put it is in the Wild Hunt, then we have a serious problem," Mason said quietly._

 _"Can we figure it out while I'm running drills? Brett's meeting me to help the freshmen that wanna make First Line," Liam said, looking annoyed. Theo frowned. Had Liam not noticed that he was missing? And who the fuck was Brett?_

 _"Brett?" Mason asked, eyebrows rising. "Incredibly hot Brett with the eight-pack abs?" Theo raised his lip into a snarl, pacing around Liam, fingers tangled in red string as his claws slid out._

 _"Pretty sure his name is just Brett," Liam said, rolling his eyes. Theo was not enjoying this dream, not one bit._

 _"He has an eight-pack," Mason scoffed. "Do you, do you know how hard it is for the human body to have an eight-pack? God. Wait, why is he helping you?"_

 _"I couldn't get anyone else to volunteer," Liam admitted, grabbing his lacrosse stick from his locker._

 _"Well. Yeah, that's because there's no way any of 'em are gonna make First Line. I mean, no one does before junior year," Mason said._

 _"Scott did, and so did I," Liam pointed out._

 _"Yeah, with a little supernatural help," Mason muttered. Liam sighed._

 _He shut his locker with a slam, only to find someone standing right behind it. Theo glared at him, glared at everyone. If had had known how often Liam was surrounded by half-naked, muscled teenagers, he might have taken more of an interest in joining the team, if only to place himself between Liam and all these horny meathead jocks._

 _"Thanks for the gear, Liam, and the drills, and the chance, you know," the guy said, "even if there really isn't one."_

 _"Unless you practice," Mason said, looking awkwardly between the boy and Liam. "Like, today. I mean, you could totally have a shot at making First Line." He hit the boy in the middle of the chest in what he had probably meant to be a reassuring manner, but Liam grabbed him and dragged him away. Theo followed them, eyes darting around the locker room as he glared at all the freshers following them._

 _Mason kept babbling and Liam picked him up, carrying him from the room. In the hall, they ran directly into Monroe, and even though he was not physically there, Theo instantly placed himself between her and Liam._

 _"There you are," the counsellor chirped. "I've got openings tomorrow, if you're willing to talk, of course."_

 _Over my dead body, Theo thought, eyes narrowing. Something about this woman rubbed him the wrong way. She smelt wrong, like gunpowder and violence._

Before he could hear her response, however, he was forcibly pulled from the dream. A bucket of cold water thrown into his face, startling him awake. Two of the hunters were in front of him, and Theo squinted at them, waiting to see what they wanted.

"He's not healing," one of them said, his voice gruff as he poked Theo in the arm with his gun.

"Isn't that a good thing?" The other one grunted.

"He won't last," the first guy shrugged. "No fun if he dies straight away." Theo bared his teeth as he poked him again. "This one has a lot of fight left in him. I say we give him a bit of food and water and then leave him be for a day."

"Whatever, man," the second guy said dismissively. "I ain't feeding him though."

He walked out, and the first guy stepped closer, a bread roll clutched in one fist.

"You gonna eat it all, wolf-boy," he said, edging closer nervously, "but if those fangs come anywhere near my hand, I'll fucking gut you. Plenty more wolves in these hills, if you catch my drift."

All of the fight went out of Theo as he nodded, letting his fangs disappear. He would not risk sending these assholes after Liam or Scott.

He ate the bread roll quickly, and swallowed down the water that was offered to him. His healing kicked in almost straight away, and the man's eyes gleamed as he watched the bruises start to fade from his skin.

"See you tomorrow," he promised, his eyes gleaming with malice. Theo said nothing, his stomach roiling as the first food he had been given in days churned in his empty gut.

Within an hour, his body was completely healed. However, even though the pain was no longer bothering him, the anxiety of what would happen next and the bone-deep weariness of limited sleep ensured that he was still a little bit delirious.

He tried to look for a way out, but he could not keep his eyes open.

 _Anger and frustration flooded his link with Liam, and suddenly he was in the middle of the lacrosse pitch while Liam hit the ground and then jumped to his feet. Another teenage boy ran past him, laughing, and Theo narrowed his eyes. This must be Brett._

 _He watched as Brett raced towards the goal, flinging the ball towards Corey who lunged to catch it but fell short, allowing it straight into the net. This happened again and again, and Theo almost felt pity for Corey and Liam, who were being thoroughly shown up by the other werewolf._

 _And then he tackled Liam and Corey, all three of them piled up inside the goals, and Theo watched Liam intently. Liam got to his feet, eyes locked on Brett as he breathed deeply, trying to keep his cool. Without Theo around, it was a losing battle._

 _Theo wanted to yell that he was right here, to calm down, but he knew that Liam would not have heard him. Liam snarled under his breath, his lacrosse stick creaking in his hands, claws extended in his gloves._

 _As Brett raced towards him, Liam ducked down and then threw him over his shoulder, Brett landing on the ground with a crunch. Liam picked up the ball, raced towards the goal and sent it clean through the net, sending Corey flying._

 _Brett ran towards Liam, hitting his arm. "There he is, that's the IED I remember," he goaded. "What's it stand for? Intermittent Explosive Disorder? What's it gonna take for you to explode, Liam?"_

 _Liam's eyes flashed and he tried to push past Brett, but the other werewolf pushed him back._

 _"I'm trying to help you," he said. "You're not in control, and if you don't fix that, someone's gonna get hurt."_

 _Liam turned and walked away without a word._

 _"Where's your anchor, Liam?" Brett asked in a low voice. Liam stopped._

 _I'm right here, Theo whispered from where he stood alongside Liam, his shoulder pressed against the other boy's. He soothed the string through his fingers, sending tranquility and peace through their connection. In return, all he could feel was Liam's sadness._

 _"Hayden's gone," he whispered. "Scott is leaving, and I have no idea where Theo is. He hasn't responded to my calls in three days." He turned and looked at Brett over his shoulder, eyes still flashing yellow. "So no, I'm not in control, but I'm working on it."_

 _And he walked away. Theo followed after him, feeling helpless. Liam was too far gone to feel his influence and he was too far away. Instead, he was chained to a fucking electric wall god knows where, with no way of contacting him._

 _Liam stormed into the locker room, throwing his lacrosse stick aside and stripping off his protective padding._

 _"The sun, the moon, the truth," he growled, his breath coming out in sobbing heaves as he tried to calm down. He repeated it again and again, snarling as he battered the locker with his fists._

 _Theo sat on one of the benches, his heart breaking for the other boy. He wanted nothing more than to grab him and help soothe him._

 _"I know you can't hear me, Liam," he said, staring at Liam's back as he punched the locker door with all his might. "I wish I was really here, I wish I could help. I should never have left Scott's place. It was stupid. He only wanted me to tell you the truth. And you deserve the truth. Even if Scott still wants to gets rid of our connection, you should know first, so that you can decide for yourself."_

 _He wound the finger around his hands as he got to his feet, following it around the room as he spooled it together. Theo watched Liam from the corner of his eyes, seeing that it was helping. Liam was gulping in deep breaths as he stared at the locker._

 _"I'm sorry," Theo whispered. "I hope I make it out of here so I can tell you everything."_

 _Liam grimaced when he returned to the present, seeing the damage he had made. He tried to fix it, but gave it up as a bad job and just ripped it from its hinges, stashing it away. He glanced around, and Theo's heart skipped as he swore that Liam's eyes lingered on him for a second. But from the sweep of his eyes, it was clear that he was focussed on something else._

 _He bent down, picking up the string at his feet, a thoughtful look on his face, running a finger along it, sending a vibration down through their connection._

 _"Yes," Theo breathed, heart racing. "Liam, come find me."_

 _Footsteps could be heard, and suddenly Liam was sitting on the bench, nonchalantly tying his shoelace, looking for all intents and purposes like he was just getting changed after practice._

 _"Hey guys," Liam said as Mason and Corey walked in. "What are you guys doing here?" Theo frowned. If Liam was not talking to his friends about what was going on with him, then how could they be expected to help? Liam, you idiot, he cursed, pacing restlessly._

 _"Looking for you," Mason replied. "History test tomorrow. We need to study."_

 _"Yeah, right," Liam muttered. "That's probably a good idea since I have no idea what it's on."_

 _They joked about the test, but then Mason noticed a trail of blood, and the Scooby gang went to follow. Theo kicked a bench, cursing. If these two clowns had not turned up, then Liam would be going in the other direction right now, following the string, and finding Theo._

 _They found a body, because of course they did, and Theo swallowed down a howl of rage. There was danger everywhere, and he was not there to protect Liam._

 _"Find me," Theo yelled in Liam's face. "Come find me."_

 _But Liam did not hear him, and the three boys ran from the room. This time, Theo did not follow. He held the string to his chest, sighing, his eyes falling shut._

 _As Liam got further away, Theo drifted back into consciousness._

"Fucking hell," he whispered, tears rolling from his eyes, his shoulders slumped. He tried reaching out to Scott again, but he was too tired to focus. Instead, he slipped in and out of consciousness, eventually drifting into an uneasy sleep.

He dreamed of Liam. It felt different to his other dreams, fuzzier around the edges, less colour and lighter, more peaceful.

 _They laid together in Liam's bed, neither talking, just gazing at each other. There was no awkwardness, no confusion, just acceptance._

 _Theo reached a hand forward, tracing his fingers along Liam's cheekbone and down his jaw. Liam hummed, smelling of contentment, a soft smile dancing at the corner of his mouth. Feeling bold, Theo inched closer, moving his hand into Liam's hair, stroking his fingers through the soft strands._

 _"Liam," he whispered, tenderness welling in his chest._

 _Light flooded the room as Liam blinked, his eyes flicking over Theo's face._

 _"Theo?" Liam asked._

 _"Shhh," Theo said, leaning forwards, his mouth hovering over Liam's. He slid his hand down Liam's chest, placing it over his galloping heart._

 _"This is a really weird dream," Liam muttered, a confused crease dipping between his eyebrows. Theo pulled away slightly, glancing around the room and then back down at Liam. There was a lot more light now, and it was more vivid, the fuzziness gone. Theo's stomach swooped._

 _"Liam," he said urgently, grabbing his arm in a vice-like grip. "I've been captured by hunters. You have to find me."_

 _"What?" Liam said, sitting up abruptly, eyes flying wide._

 _"Tell Scott," Theo urged, and Liam was gone, the dream fading._

Theo's heart raced as he slowly opened his eyes, blinking and grimacing as the light in the room turned on.

"You awake, dog?" The hunter asked, standing by the door, leering at him.

Theo did not answer, just looked down as the hunter sauntered forwards, the remote control for the electric current held in his hands. He bit his lip as he turned it on. It hurt like a bitch, but he could endure it, could endure anything.

Liam would find him.


	10. Chapter 10

_Theo had survived the dread doctors, the most successful chimera._

 _He had survived the Skinwalkers, and they had dragged him to hell and back, literally._

 _He had been made human, and then survived the bite of a true Alpha._

 _There was no way he would not survive this._

 _He had been through much worse in his life. A couple of hunters, fresh to the trade, were no match for him._

 _Liam would come for him. That was a given. He could feel the panic as Liam pulled at his end of the string, a feeling of hope that it would call the other beta to him like before, then a moment of disappointment, before panic and terror caused Theo to tune out, pushing the feelings to the back of his mind._

 _Liam would get Scott, and they would come for him._

* * *

Scott woke up to the slam of Theo's bedroom door followed by Liam launching himself onto his bed.

"Scott, Theo isn't in his bed and he has been captured by hunters," the beta said in a panic. Scott blinked the sleep from his eyes, his brain slowly processing the words.

"Liam? What do you mean? Theo is just having a moment. He's just spending the night in the woods or underground and tomorrow he'll be back, I'm sure." Scott sat up, rubbing the bridge of his nose and grabbing his phone to check the time. Way too early in the morning. "See? There's a voice message from Theo. I'm sure it's him telling me he's sorry for overreacting. " Scott unlocked his phone, dialing the number for voice messages and hitting the speakerphone button.

Instead of the apology Scott was expecting, there were only gunshots.

And instead of silence, Scott's bedroom was filled with the sound of Liam hyperventilating.

"Liam, you have to calm down. We can find him. He's strong and in control. Liam !" Scott roared the Beta's name, glad for once that his mother was on night shift at the hospital. At once, Liam held his breath, looking at Scott with panicked eyes. "We can still find him. I'd know if he was dead."

Liam nodded, hopping up and beginning to pace across Scott's bedroom floor. Scott got out of bed and moved to his dresser, pulling out sweats and a hoodie and dressing. Sitting on the bed, he pulled on his shoes and dialled Parrish's phone number, once again hitting speaker phone.

"Hey Parrish, just wondering if you can check up on Theo?"

Five minutes and two more near panic attacks later, and after Parrish had called back with a list of locations the Sheriff station had removed Theo from, Scott had bundled Liam into the jeep.

"Ok Liam, I'm going to need you to focus for me," Scott barked, planting his foot on the accelerator, the Jeep's suspension creaking as he hit a corner.

"Why? What can I do? I'm useless at tracking people," Liam said, hanging onto the jeep's roll bars.

"I need you to focus on Theo, on your connection." Liam eyed Scott warily. He knew there were connections between packmates, but surely the alpha would have the strongest link?

Closing his eyes, he focused on Theo, absentmindedly wrapping his hand around the string looped around his wrist. His wolf roared to life in his chest, sorting through all of the scents blowing through the open windows and zeroing in on one.

"Turn left up here," Liam snarled.

Finding Theo's truck was hard on both Liam and Scott. Whoever had taken Theo had shot it to pieces. Calling the Sheriff this time, Scott relayed what they thought had happened, explaining their location and hanging up with a promise from StIlinski that he would have it removed, no questions.

Running his fingers along the side of Theo's shot up truck, Liam focused on the smell of Theo's blood, his eyes flashing red at the sheer amount of it.

Feeling a pull on his wrist, Liam tugged back on the string, thinking idly of all the times since noticing it he had played with it only to have Theo appear at his side. His wolf calmed inside him when he wrapped his hand around it, allowing him to focus once again, searching for the trail that would lead him to his pack mate.

"Scott, get in the car. I think I know where we're going."

After driving for about an hour, following many twists and turns as they travelled across town, they parked the car, getting out. Liam had felt the string vibrate, signalling that they were getting close. On the other end of it was Theo, Liam had realised.

"He's in there," Liam said firmly, yellow eyes locked on the building in front of them. The red string was looped around his arms and hands, having grown more tangible the longer that Liam had handled it.

He had frowned when he realised that Scott could see it as well, his red eyes tracking it around buildings and across roads. Scott said nothing, however, so Liam shrugged, assuming it was a normal thing. He and Theo were Scott's only bitten betas, perhaps it was just a physical manifestation of their bond as part of the pack?

"I'll call the others," Scott whispered, "get them down here to help in case this goes bad. You try and find a way in."

Liam nodded as Scott backtracked to go and call their pack. He plucked the string, thinking of Theo, wondering if he was alright. It stilled and then, moments later, it vibrated. "We're coming, Theo," Liam whispered, determination shining from his eyes as he turned his mind back to the task, trying to find a way inside the building.

It was a large concrete warehouse with several black SUV's parked alongside of it. There were many cameras, all pointed in every direction, covering all bases.

"Whoever this belongs to is really fucking paranoid," Liam muttered, frowning. His eyes tracked the red string to the door where Theo had entered. It was a double door that opened to the car park. Two SUV's were parked right next to it. Liam closed his eyes, trying not to picture them dragging Theo's bloody body from inside of it and through the doors.

Shaking his head, he retreated and circled around the building, looking for another way in.

There was a front entrance, with a symbol on the front door. It looked vaguely familiar, making Liam pause. Scott, coming up beside him, growled.

"Gerard," he spat.

"What?" Liam asked, turning to stare at him, shocked by the amount of anger rolling off of Scott. His alpha grabbed his arm and pulled him back until they were a few streets over. He pulled out his phone and dialled.

"Chris? We have a problem," Scott said.

"What's going on?" Argent replied.

"Theo has been taken. We tracked him to a huge fucking warehouse with your family's symbol on the front door," Scott explained.

Liam's eyes widened. He knew that hunters had taken Theo, but he had thought that the Argent's were on their side. Gerard had helped them to defeat the Beast. Why would he take Theo?

"He's back to his usual tricks, then," Argent said, sounding frustrated.

"What do you suggest?" Scott asked.

"How attached are you to this Theo?" Argent asked.

"Very," Liam snarled, holding up the string. Scott glanced at him, an undecipherable look in his eyes.

"Yeah, we're rescuing him, that's non-negotiable," Scott relayed.

"Ok, send me the address, I'll be there shortly," Argent said, immediately hanging up.

"The others will be here soon," Scott said, trying to soothe his agitated beta. Liam bit his lip, trying to calm down, his anxiety shooting through the roof. Gerard was dangerous. He had been a hunter for a very long time and Liam had taken note of his cruel efficiency when he had helped them before. What had happened to Theo under that same level of intensity?

Within ten minutes, the rest of the pack had arrived. Mason and Corey arrived first, standing either side of Liam, offering their silent support. They both knew that Liam had grown close to Theo over the summer. Lydia and Malia were the next to arrive, moving to stand by Scott, shooting worried looks at Liam. He was staring down at the ground, his chest heaving, claws pressed into his palms as he tried to keep his cool.

Parrish rolled up in his police cruiser, nodding at Scott as he got out, one hand on his gun holster.

Last was Chris Argent, who parked his black SUV behind Parrish' car and got out, his eyes flicking over them in an assessing manner.

"When I was there last, Gerard had about twelve employees," he said as the pack gathered around him. "The lady at the front desk is his secretary, she would know everything. There's a few others in charge of pick-ups and deliveries. The rest would be hunters."

"So, you knew he was back in business?" Scott asked, eyes flashing.

"I knew he was selling weapons," Argent said with a frown.

"Why would he do this?" Liam burst out. "He helped us before, why would he want to kidnap Theo?"

"He's a hunter, and he exploits weakness," Argent said with a shrug. "He must have decided that Theo was a weakness. Which, please explain that to me, by the way. I thought you all hated this kid?"

"He's my beta now," Scott said, shifting uncomfortably under Argent's hard stare.

"That's two you've bitten," he said firmly, eyes locked on Scott's.

"Both to save a life," Scott said, standing his ground.

"Can we focus please?" Liam growled.

After a few moments, Argent nodded, backing down.

"Right," he said, glancing around at the assembled group. "We need two groups. One to take out the hunters, and the other to retrieve Theo."

"I'm going after Theo," Liam said immediately.

"We're with him," Mason said, Corey nodding.

"Me too," Lydia said. Liam looked at her, surprised. "We went to all that trouble getting him in the pack," she said to Liam. "I'm not letting him die now."

"Alright," Scott nodded. "That leaves the rest of us to deal with the hunters." Scott looked at Malia, Parrish and Argent in turn, seeing the determination burning in their eyes. "Let's go get our beta back."

Argent went in first, dealing with the lady at the front desk, knocking her out, before gesturing for them to enter.

"Give us two minutes, and then follow," Argent said quietly to Liam. "Theo will most likely be in one of the back rooms. Go through this corridor and then angle around to the left. We'll clear your way as much as we can, but be prepared to fight."

Liam nodded and then Argent lead the other three through the door behind the front desk.

He took a shaky breath as they waited.

"He'll be fine," Mason said, placing his hand on Liam's shoulder.

"I hope so," Liam said, his voice wavering with concern.

"You really care about him, don't you?" Lydia said quietly.

"He's different," Liam said, staring down at his hands, eyes on the red string that looped around his wrist. "We're friends now. I can't believe I didn't even notice he was missing."

"You can't blame yourself," Corey said softly.

"Let's go," Liam said, shaking his head to clear it. He had to save Theo, nothing else mattered.

The others followed him through the door. Liam's senses were strained as he listened for any sign that their entrance had been noticed. Hearing nothing, he continued down the corridor.

Every room that they passed was empty. Every now again they came across a hunter slumped against the wall. Liam's eyes narrowed at each and every one of them, wondering if they had touched Theo. His wolf growled in his chest, thirsty for the blood of their enemies. Liam soothed a hand over his chest, his claws snagging on his shirt.

They came to the end of the corridor. There was a door on each side. Liam took the left one as per Argent's instructions, finding another long hallway filled with closed doors. Just as they were about to step forwards, two men stepped out into the hallway from the closest one. Before they even had a change to notice them, Liam surged forwards, knocking their heads together. They slumped to the ground without so much as a groan.

"Jesus, Liam," Mason whispered. "I didn't even see you move."

"Check every door," Liam said, ignoring him, too focussed on the task at hand. The four of them moved their way down the corridor in pairs, opening and closing each door.

They found no one else, only a lot of boxes, no doubt filled with weapons.

As they reached the final door, Liam paused, his head tilted.

"Do you hear that?" He whispered. Mason and Lydia stared at him, but Corey stilled, his eyes sharp as he listened carefully.

"Heartbeats," Corey whispered back. "Three, I think, or four. And is that?"

"Electricity," Liam scowled. "I think this is it. Mason, you open the door on three and Corey and I will rush in. Lydia, you stay by Mason but back us up if we need it."

He glanced at each of them in turn, and they all nodded.

Mason grabbed the handle and waited.

"One, two, three," Liam said, bursting past Mason as he swung the door open. He dove at the hunter directly in front of him, tackling him to the ground, bashing his head against the ground. Corey disposed of the second one in a similar fashion.

Liam got to his feet slowly, his horrified eyes sliding from where Theo was slumped against a large wire fence, electricity coursing through his body, to the man who stood in front of him, holding the control. The man turned slowly, eyes widening as he stared at them.

He dropped the control, scrambling backwards as he reached for his gun. Liam was on him a moment later, his fangs bared as he saw red, roaring his fury, control completely shot. He kicked the gun away and knocked the hunter to the ground, hands around his throat as he sat on his chest.

Mason ran for the control, turning it off and rushing over to Theo. Lydia approached Liam and the hunter, her eyes narrowed in fury.

"Schrader," she snarled, air bending around her as she stalked forwards, eyes intent on her prey.

"Lydia, what?" Corey said, eyes wide.

"He's from Eichen," she said, reaching forward to grab Liam and move him out of her way.

Her hand on Liam's shoulder made him look up, Lydia's primal rage startling him out of his own fury. Slowly, he let go and stood up, backing away. He did not want to get between a pissed off banshee and her target.

She kept the man pinned to the ground with her foot on his throat, her high heel pricking into his adam's apple. He stared up at her, his terror obvious.

Liam glanced at Theo. He ran over, placing an arm around the other beta, helping Mason keep him upright.

"Lydia," Theo said, his voice rough, barely conscious. "It won't help."

"It will make me feel better," she snarled, pressing down.

"No," Theo said gently, "it won't."

She looked over at Theo, ancient eyes staring into his soul. After a minute, she stepped back, hands shaking with suppressed anger.

Liam placed a hand on Theo's arm, taking his pain. Colour flooded back into Theo's face, and he breathed easier, standing straighter.

"Thanks," he said, nodding at Liam, who nodded back and withdrew his hand.

Theo walked forwards slowly, picking up the hunter and tying him up to the electric fence. He did the same with the other two, while Liam and the others watched him.

"Can I have that?" He asked Mason, gesturing to the remote he still held in his hand.

"Sure," Mason said, handing it over, his gaze flickering between Theo and Liam, a confused frown on his face,

"Enjoy a taste of your own medicine, fuckers," Theo said, turning the control onto low, placing it on the desk out of reach. The hunters screamed, and Theo smiled as he turned away, his eyes dark as he met Liam's gaze. "Let's get out of here."

Theo lead them out of the room, and they all followed him. Normally, Liam might feel guilty about leaving humans in such a state, but he found that he could not care less. They had hurt Theo, tortured him, for no reason other than that Theo was a werewolf and a member of Scott's pack. Honestly, they were lucky that Liam had not torn their throats out.

In the hallway, they paused as they heard a roar of fury, all of them turning to the right where it originated from.

"That was Scott," Liam said with a frown, brushing past Theo and taking the lead as he jogged down the hallway. He burst through the door at the end, finding the rest of the pack fighting a group of about six hunters, dodging bullets and throwing punches.

Without thinking, Liam threw himself into the fray, punching a hunter who had Malia around the throat and forcing him the ground.

"Thanks," Malia croaked, rubbing her throat.

With the pack reunited, they dispatched the hunters with quick efficiency. Liam panted for breath as he stood between Scott and Theo, his eyes sweeping over the bodies that surrounded them.

"It wasn't just Theo," Scott said, leading them through a roller door to outside. In front of it was a car. In the back, Liam could see two people, a boy and a girl, both tied up, their eyes wide as they stared at them.

Liam opened the door, helping them out and tearing through their bindings.

"You alright?" He asked, looking between them. The blonde girl nodded at him, while the guy looked at him warily.

"Yeah, thanks," she said quietly, rubbing her wrists.

"Who are you?" Scott asked.

"They're from Satomi's pack," Theo said, staring at the girl's wrist, leaning forward and grabbing it, turning it to show her pack symbol to Scott and Liam. She snatched her hand back, glaring at him.

"We were," she said.

"Satomi's dead," the boy explained. "We don't have a pack, or an alpha anymore."

Liam and Theo looked at Scott.

"Scott, what do you think?" Liam asked.

"Wait, you're Scott McCall?" The girl asked, suddenly sounding a lot friendlier.

"I am," he said, eyes narrowing, "but you still haven't answered my question.

"I'm Tierney," the girl said, "and this is Jiang."

"What happened to Satomi?" He pressed.

"The hunters, they attacked the pack. We wanted to fight,but Satomi wouldn't let us," Tierney said. "She went to meet with them and they killed her."

"We fought our way out, but everyone else died," Jiang continued. "We were on our way back to town when these guys captured us."

Liam's phone rang, and he grabbed it from his pocket, looking confused. Who could be calling him? He looked at the screen. It was an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" He said as he answered the call.

"Liam? Is that you?" A female voice asked. It was breathy, sounding panicked.

"Yeah, who is this?" He asked.

"It's Lori," she replied.

"Brett's sister, yeah I remember you," Liam said. Scott frowned at him.

"Lori, what does she want?"

"Is that Scott?" She asked.

"Yeah, here," Liam said, handing the phone to Scott.

"What's wrong, Lori?" Scott asked.

"Brett's missing," she said. "I found a metal stake with his blood on it, and I heard gunshots."

"How do you know it's his blood?" Scott said.

"He's my brother, his blood is my blood," she replied.

"Alright," Scott breathed, pinching his nose. "Text Liam where you are, we're on our way." He hung up the phone, handing it to Liam.

"You guys coming?" He asked Jiang and Tierney. They nodded. Scott looked at the rest of his pack, quirking an eyebrow.

"Lead on, almighty alpha," Theo shrugged.

Scott turned and walked away, with everyone drifting after him.

"It's one thing after another," Liam scowled, glancing at Theo. "First you, and now Brett."

"And who exactly is Brett?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Liam rolled his eyes.

"Hot Brett," Mason said.

"Hot Brett with the eight-pack," Corey said helpfully.

"Idiot, annoying, in danger, Brett," Liam said, shooting them a glare, as he started walking faster.

"Sounds like an asshole," Theo muttered before following as well. Corey stopped suddenly. Mason paused as well, looking at Corey expectantly.

"Wait, do you think if we heroically rescue him, he would let us touch his eight-pack?" Corey asked Mason, his eyes shining. Mason sighed, his gaze distant as he pictured it.

"Hurry up," Liam called over his shoulder. The two boys cleared their throats, looking embarrassed as they rushed to catch up.


	11. Chapter 11

_Liam paced in the forest, biting his lip as anxiety swept through him. These hunters were getting out of hand. First Theo and now Brett. Both were, sort of, technically, his friends, and the thought of them being targeted made him feel sick to his stomach._

 _He looked at the arrow, lining up its trajectory. Theo followed it, and found Brett's phone. Liam took it from him, lightning flashing through him as their hands brushed. Liam glanced up into Theo's eyes, startled, before whirling around to show the others. "I think he set a trap."_

 _The pack stood in a circle, all looking at the phone._

 _"He's fighting back," Scott said._

 _"And now we know he's alive," Malia agreed with a shrug._

 _Lori brushed past Liam, grunting as she pulled the arrow from the tree. "But he's still hurt. We need to find him, he needs to know we're here." She opened her mouth to howl, but Malia grabbed her arm._

 _"You want the hunter to know we're here, too?" Malia growled._

 _"If Gerard is involved, we have to be careful," Scott said firmly._

 _"What if Brett howls back? He'll lead the hunter right to him," Malia agreed._

 _Liam sighed, frustration welling up inside him. He had seen what these hunters were capable of. They had to find Brett, and soon. He wrapped the red string around his hands, and Theo placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly._

 _"We'll find him," Theo said quietly._

* * *

Theo's body still ached from the torture he had endured over the past three days. Exhaustion made him feel fuzzy, but standing alongside his mate was soothing his wolf. It had been quiet inside him, but Liam's presence was slowly waking it back up as it soaked in his scent. Theo longed to bury his face in Liam's neck, just breathing him in, but there was no time for that.

He followed Liam, Scott and Malia to the forest, meeting up with Lori, who was pacing around a tree with an arrow embedded it, a large metal rod held in her hands, coated in blood. Her fear and anger soured the air around her, and Theo's nose twitched.

Liam examined it and Theo followed his arm, spotting something in the leaves. He jogged over and picked it up, discovering that it was a phone. Liam took it from him, and as their fingers brushed, time seemed to stop. A spark shot between them, and Theo looked into Liam's wide, ocean blue eyes, his heart stuttering. Their gazes locked, and then Liam was striding away, leaving Theo feeling bereft.

Anxiety poured from Liam in waves, and Theo instinctively moved closer, squeezing his shoulder gently, whispering a soft reassurance in his ear.

Liam shivered and Theo let his hand drop as Liam twirled the arrow in his hand, a thoughtful frown on his face and he examined the forest floor around them. Theo spotted the blood at the same time.

"Hey, he went this way,' Liam exclaimed, running off, Theo beside him, his eyes glowing as he tracked the trail of blood.

However, when they reached the next clearing, the trail ended.

"The trail's gone," Malia said helpfully as they looked around, eyes glowing and nostrils flaring.

"Maybe he just stopped bleeding," Scott said, sounding confused.

"I think we should split up," Liam growled. "We'll go this way, you guys go that way." Theo frowned. Splitting up was never a good idea, especially against hunters, especially against experienced hunters.

"Or maybe we go in five directions?" Lori said, and Theo only just managed to stop the roll of his eyes. It was like having Hayden back all over again.

"We should stick together," Malia said, crossing her arms.

"We have the advantage, it's five against one," Liam said earnestly.

"Not if we split up," Malia interjected.

"Right," Liam growled. "I've been doing this the past three months without any help. I think I can make a decision."

"Well, if you're deciding to do something stupid and die, then go ahead," Malia said, turning away from Liam with a huff.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with Malia, but we need to stay together," Theo said, grabbing his arm and turning the other boy to face him. "This isn't some inexperienced newbie, ok, this is Gerard Argent. He's been hunting for longer than the two of us have been alive."

"We can deal with it," Liam said, his blue eyes shining with sincerity as he looked at Theo. "We just need to find Brett's trail."

"No, we don't," Lori interrupted, staring at a stack of rocks that Theo had noticed earlier but immediately dismissed as unimportant. "Rock balancing, Satomi taught us. It's him, and I know where he's going."

They followed Lori to the sewers, and Theo wrinkled his nose as he descended into the darkness. He had rather hoped that he would never need to come down here again. He had spent most of his life navigating through every twist and turn as he followed the bidding of the Dread Doctors. There were no happy memories to be found in these tunnels.

Liam sensed his unease and gave him a quizzical look as he stopped him, his shoulder brushing against Theo's. He smiled, some of the tension draining from his body at the contact.

"I'm fine," he whispered.

"No you're not," Liam said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Ok, so I'm not, but I've been tortured for three days, barely slept and this place gives me the creeps. I think I'm allowed to be a little on edge," Theo muttered.

"That's true," Liam sighed, concern for the other beta wafting from him. "The second you need to stop, let me know." Theo nodded, and they hurried to catch up with the others.

Lori was kneeling down, swiping her hand through the blood pooling on the ground. "He's been poisoned." She said, panicked.

"That's why he's not healing," Scott said, staring at the black poison.

"What if he only has a few hours to live?" Lori cried.

"Well, if we howl, we can find him," Liam reminded them. Theo bit his lip, his mind racing. He had an advantage over the others. He knew these tunnels. Where could they lead the hunters?

"That's too risky," Malia sighed.

"Who cares about the risk? He could be dying," Lori yelled.

"He's still moving," Malia pointed out, brushing past Lori to examine the trail of black blood.

Scott shook his head. "We just need time to think."

"I need him to know that I'm here, that I'm coming for him," Lori cried.

Liam glanced at Theo and then down at the red string he still clutched in his hands, running a thumb across it. Theo shivered, and met Liam's gaze, his eyes welling with understanding.

"Yeah, Lori's right," Liam said slowly. "He has to know we're here."

"Liam, wait!" Malia said, but it was too late. Liam bared his teeth and roared his defiance, the sound echoing down the tunnels. Theo rolled his eyes at Liam's dramatics, but was becoming more and more used to these idiotic heroic acts of his. It was the same reason why he was no longer tied up in a basement being electrocuted, so he could hardly complain.

They ran forwards, Lori leading the way again, fear making her heart race in a way that was distracting. Theo shook his head, trying to clear his mind, exhaustion making his mind sluggish. He put one foot in front of the other as he focused on moving.

"Why didn't he answer us?" Lori snarled, her control dropping exponentially as panic overwhelmed her.

"Maybe he didn't hear us," Liam responded.

"Or maybe he can't," Malia muttered.

Suddenly, Theo frowned, recognising where they were. He spotted the trap a second before Scott did. The alpha lurched forwards. "Lori, no!" But Theo was already there, grabbing the blonde around the wrist and hauling her backwards. These tunnels were full of traps, many of which he had placed there himself. It had been a long time since one had managed to catch him unawares.

"Are you ok?" He asked Lori. She nodded weakly, eyes wide as she stared at the metal rod that had nearly impaled either her or Scott. "Be careful. I know you want to find your brother, but you can't help him if you're dead."

"Gerard is tricky," Scott reminded her. Theo stilled but did not correct him, his heart skipping as he looked away. Liam frowned at him, but said nothing. "We have to stick together."

They moved at a slower pace this time, Theo in the lead by unspoken agreement. Liam was half a step behind him, ready to grab him at a moment's notice.

"Did he leave you anything?" He said, turning to look at Lori. "A signal, anything?"

"I don't see anything," she said, sounding dejected. "I don't hear anything."

"We'll find something," Liam reassured her. "He's gonna be ok."

"How do you know?" She asked tears welling in her eyes.

"Because he's strong," Liam said firmly. "He's really strong. He's knocked me down on the lacrosse field more than once. Now, when I see him coming, I do everything I can to get the hell out of the way."

"Brett actually started playing lacrosse for me," Lori said quietly.

"For you?" Liam asked.

"I didn't have any friends at my old school. Devenford Prep needed lacrosse players and Brett practised all summer. He got a scholarship and told them that they had to take me too if they wanted him," she explained. Tears were pouring from her eyes now, and Theo slowed to a stop as Liam rubbed a hand along her arm.

"Hey," Liam said gently. "We're gonna find him."

Theo sniffed the air. "Do you guys smell that?" He asked.

"It smells like something's rotting," Malia grumbled, wrinkling up her nose.

"I think it's poison," Liam said, eyes lighting up.

"That's how we'll find him," Lori exclaimed.

They raced off again, following the scent. Theo grabbed their arms, hauling them to a stop.

"Slowly," he growled, his eyes flashing.

"Right, sorry," Liam said, a flush spreading across his cheeks.

"Theo's right," Scott said. "You can't run off like that. We're stronger as a pack, and we can help Brett a lot better if we stick together."

Theo shifted, uncomfortable at the earnest way that Scott was looking around at them. Since he had been rescued, Scott had said nothing about their argument, or about whether or not he was still in the pack. He dropped his eyes, trying to tamp down on the sick feeling swirling in his stomach. He would save Brett, for Liam's sake, everything else had to wait.

"I go first," Theo said, releasing Lori and Liam's arms. He was the dispensable one, after all.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Lori muttered after a few more minutes. "They all look the same to me."

"I've gotten lost in these tunnels heaps of times," Liam said helpfully. "Just follow the scent." Theo rolled his eyes .

"I grew up down here," he told Lori, glancing at her over his shoulder. "I know where I'm going."

They stilled as they entered a large room. "I can hear something," Liam said, his eyes darting around.

"A heartbeat," Lori breathed.

Nothing could stop her running forwards now, and Theo cursed as he ran at her heels. She barrelled down a tunnel and then, suddenly, they found the other wolf, slumped against the wall.

"Brett," Lori yelled, falling to her knees in front of him, her hands brushing over him as she checked for injuries.

Theo stared down at him, pity swirling in his chest. The boy looked exhausted, his skin pale and sweaty, black poison leaking from his eyes, mouth, nose and ears.

"You found the rocks," Brett muttered, a small smile dancing on his lips.

"I found them," Lori smiled, brushing his hair from his face. Brett glanced over her shoulder.

"Liam," he whispered, eyes glued to him. Theo's wolf rumbled possessively in his chest as Liam rushed forwards to the other boy.

"Hey, we're gonna get you out of here," Liam said urgently, offering Brett his hand.

"You're a dumbass for doing this," Brett groaned as Liam pulled him to his feet.

"Is that your way of thanking me?" Liam smirked.

"No," Brett gasped, one hand around Lori, the other pressed to his side. "That's my way of calling you a dumbass, but thanks."

Before Liam could respond, there was an explosion behind them, and they whirled around, light and smoke flashing as it approached their position.

"They're coming," Lori cried.

A loud whining sound appeared and Liam panicked. "Go," he yelled. "I'll hold them off."

"No," Scott bellowed, holding out an arm as Lori followed Liam's instruction. "They're just trying to lead us into a trap."

"Wait," Theo yelled, but they ignored both of them, charging forwards. With a furious growl, he ripped off his shirt and pants, changing into a wolf and then loping after them.

Behind him, he could hear Liam roaring his fury as he ran into the smoke. His every instinct made him want to turn and help him, but they had not gone through all of the effort of rescuing Brett for him to run straight into a trap.

As a wolf, he was far quicker than an injured teenage boy, even one as strong as Brett, and just before the boy reached the manhole, Theo knocked Lori to the side and wrapped his teeth around his leg, hauling him back down.

Moments later, a car rumbled past over their heads, skidding as the manhole cover lodged in its tire.

Liam, Malia and Scott skidded around the corner, finding the brother and sister groaning in pain, a large wolf standing over them, teeth bared in an unspoken command.

"Theo," Liam breathed. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Brett and Lori, clearly understanding what had nearly happened. Rage made his eyes burn gold, and then he was climbing up the ladder.

Theo watched him go, the red string tugging at him. As Liam scrambled through and stood up, Theo braced himself and then leapt up and through the hole, wrapping himself around Liam as the other boy roared his defiance to the growing crowd of onlookers, drawn by the screeching of tires and shattering of glass caused when the car crashed into a nearby tree.

The people mumbled behind their hands, shock and fear shining in their eyes. Liam turned in a slow circle, teeth bared, daring any of them to come closer and attack his pack. The sound of dozens of panicked heartbeats was almost overwhelming, and Theo pressed himself into Liam's side, his soft whine making him look down.

"Liam," Scott said from the sewer. "Liam, you need to calm down."

"They hurt my pack," Liam snarled. "They hurt Theo, and they hurt Brett, and they nearly killed them, Lori too."

"It wasn't them," Scott said urgently. Liam shook his head, unable to listen to reason.

Resigned to what he needed to do, Theo dropped his wolf shape, ignoring the shocked exclamations of the humans circled around them. He wrapped himself around Liam's back, his arms locked around his chest. Liam took a deep, shaky breath, leaning back into him.

"Liam," he whispered, burying his face in the other boy's neck, inhaling his scent as he had so desperately wanted to earlier. "Everyone made it out, you did good. It's time to stand down."

"Theo," Liam said, and then he was turning in Theo's arms, tears welling in his eyes, pressing his face into Theo's chest.

"Come on, baby wolf, let's get out of here," Theo said gently, running a hand through his hair.

"Theo," Liam said after a few long moments, looking up at the sky, a dark blush heating his cheeks.

"Yeah?" Theo asked, his hand stilling as he looked at Liam quizzically.

"You're naked," Liam said, pointedly looking everywhere but at Theo.

"Another reason I'd really like to leave," Theo nodded solemnly. "There are a lot of people staring at my ass right now."

"Ok," Liam said, his voice sounding strangled. "Time to go."

"Thank god," Theo breathed.

* * *

Afterwards, Theo drove Liam home in the Jeep, cursing the hunters for damaging the one thing he owned in the world while also thankful his insurance was paid up.

He tried not to let himself be affected by the way Liam had about four meters of string wound tightly around his fists while he chanted his mantra under his breath, still reeling from being outed in front of so many people.

His heart escaped him when he pulled up outside of Liam's house. As Liam's steps moved away, Theo felt a tug on his wrist, he looked up from the steering wheel to see Liam, halfway up the path, eyes still gold as he looked back at him. Tugging the string again, Liam nodded his head towards the house.

Theo jumped out of the jeep, locking it and following Liam into his dark house. Theo followed the path of the string up the stairs to Liam's room, where Liam was pulling his bloodied shirt over his head and bundling it into a garbage bag, his jeans soon following.

"I'm gonna take a shower first, then you can. Put your clothes in here and we'll burn them tomorrow." Liam said sadly, dropping the bag at Theo's feet and moving towards his bathroom. Before shutting the door, he looked at himself in the mirror, running his fingers through Brett's blood smeared on his cheek. Theo picked up on the spike in heart rate, stepping over the garbage bag and toward the bathroom, telling himself his heart was racing because Liam was in emotional pain, not because his body was reacting to the other beta only in his boxer briefs.

"Liam, You've had a good run. You saved me, you saved Brett."

"Yeah" Liam said quietly, reaching into the shower and turning the hot water tap. "But now everyone knows, about me. About you." He flicked his eyes up to meet Theo's, blue and full of sadness, before he pushed the bathroom door shut.

Now alone in Liam's room, Theo removed his own bloody clothes and shoved them into garbage bag before he began to pace in his underwear, winding and unwinding the string around his hands. Liam knew about the bond, he had to, he had used it to pull him in here. Surely he could not have known all of it? He would expect the Little Wolf to be freaking out if he knew about the whole soulmate fiasco. But Liam had asked him here. He had brought him to his room and now he was naked not four feet from where Theo was pacing.

Oh. Liam was naked.

And now standing in front of him, watching him pace in nothing but a towel the same colour as his eyes.

"Your turn and then sleep," Liam mumbled, moving to his dresser, pulling out a soft looking grey singlet and a new pair of black boxer briefs.

Shutting himself safely in the bathroom, Theo rested his head on the cool tiles as hot water blasted the blood and grime from his body. His body and mind reeling from the past 72 hours, the hot water and the feeling of finally being clean making him realise how bone tired he actually was. How had it only been three days since he'd been comfortable in Scott's house?

When his skin felt suitably raw from scrubbing and his fingers were wrinkled from the water, Theo braved the cool air of the bathroom. Wrapped in another blue towel, Theo stood staring at the bathroom door for three whole minutes.

He had no clothes.

Another two minutes of him contemplating his dirty underwear passed before Theo decided that he would brave the room to raid Liam's drawers. Opening the door, relief shot through Theo as he saw the pile of clothes apparently laid out for him on the end of the bed. Liam had turned the light off and the room was only lit from the bathroom and the glow of Liam's phone. Grabbing the clothes, Theo retreated back into the bathroom to pull them on. The sweatpants fit his waist, but ended around his ankles. The singlet pulled too tight across his chest. Deciding he'd be fine without it, Theo took two deep breaths before hitting the light and moving into back into the bedroom. At least he should get some sleep being on Liam's floor.

But fate, or at least Liam, had other ideas, for the other boy had the unoccupied side of the bed turned down in invitation, Liam's eyes flicking up from his phone to him, his eyebrows raised in question.

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Theo slipped into bed, turning away from Liam on his side and shutting his eyes tight, gripping a hand full of string so hard that his nails dug into his palm.

"Theo?" Liam asked quietly in the dark, his phone now switched off and placed with a light clunk on the bedside table.

"Yeah?" Theo said, rolling over to find that Liam was on his side, yellow eyes glowing in the dark. Flashing his own eyes, Theo took in the faint blush on Liam's face and neck, the way his fingers tangled in the string.

"I had a dream like this." Liam whispered. Theo gripped the string in his hands tighter, the sting of his claws now digging into his palms keeping him grounded.

"Yeah?" Theo said, breathless this time.

"Yeah. You told me the hunters had you. And that I had to go tell Scott." Liam said, eyes flicking between Theo's eyes and his lips. "This whole beta bond thing is so weird, right?"

"The what?" Theo asked, eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

"Scott told me. That's how I found you, you know, betas made by the same alpha?" Liam said softly, looking at Theo as if he should know all this.

So this was how Scott was going to play it? Theo's wolf howled inside him with rage.

"What else did Scott tell you?" Theo ground out, trying and failing to control his heart rate.

"Not a lot, he just told me to focus on our bond, and that's how we'd find you," Liam said, yawning as he snuggled further into the bed. "I don't know why he just didn't do that. Surely his bond would be stronger?" Liam sighed. "Probably trying to teach me again."

And just like that all of Theo's anger towards Scott disappeared. Liam still had no idea of the nature of their bond. Scott had the chance to tell, and he had said nothing.

Theo wrapped even more string around his hands, hoping with every fiber that Liam would ask him about it. Instead, he was met with a light snore, and Liam's face, relaxed in sleep.

Turning fully towards the other boy, he breathed in the comforting smell of Liam and allowed sleep to take him too.


	12. Chapter 12

_Liam's alarm woke him. He groaned, shutting it off and dropping his phone back onto the side-table. He turned his head slightly as he searched the room for Theo. He was surrounded by the other boy's scent, but the bed beside him was cold, showing that he had left ages ago._

 _He sighed, rolling over and pressing his face into the pillow, breathing deeply, allowing the other boy's scent to soothe him._

 _Guilt still tugged at him, making his chest ache. How had he not noticed that Theo had been missing? Sure, he had been busy with preparing for lacrosse tryouts, but that was no excuse. Three whole days Theo had been in agony. The worst thing was that he had been feeling little shocks through their connection, but he had dismissed it. If he had just paid a bit more attention, then he could have rescued Theo a lot sooner._

 _He wound the string around his hand, sending his mind along it. Theo's emotions came to him slowly, like the connection was spread thin, the wire pulled taught as if Theo was miles away; exhaustion, guilt, and sadness vibrating along it, making Liam shiver. He dropped the string with a sigh._

 _Liam pulled the blanket over his head, feeling miserable. There was no way he could go to school._

 _Half an hour later, Liam was awoken by Scott tugging at his blanket, calling his name._

 _"I'm sick," Liam groaned, holding onto the blankets._

 _"You're not sick," Scott sighed._

 _"Yeah, I am," Liam mumbled. "I'm deathly ill." He coughed a few times. "I think it's the flu."_

 _"It's not flu season," Scott said._

 _"Then I must have pneumonia."_

 _"Liam," Scott said, sounding frustrated. "You're a werewolf, you can't get pneumonia, but what you can get is in trouble for being late to school. Now come on, let's go." He yanked the blanket back and Liam sat up._

 _"I don't think I should go to school, or outside, or anywhere ever again," he said dramatically, pulling the blankets over his head and flopping back onto his pillow._

 _"It doesn't matter what you think, ok? Cause you gotta go and all you gotta do is pretend that nothing happened."_

 _"Pretend?" Liam said incredulously, sitting up again and uncovering his face. "How am I supposed to pretend?"_

 _"Think of it like Superman getting caught without his glasses off," Scott said, shrugging his shoulders. "He doesn't give up, he puts them back on and says 'I'm still Clark Kent.'"_

 _"You want me to wear glasses?" Liam asked, feeling confused._

 _"No," Scott said, grabbing his foot and dragging him off the bed. Liam yelped as he fell on his ass. "I want you to go to school and be Liam Dunbar. Just like Superman has to be Clark Kent, Spiderman, Captain America."_

 _"Captain America is just Steve Rogers," Liam pointed out, looking up at Scott from where he sat on the floor at the end of his bed, blanket tangled around him. "He doesn't have to pretend, everyone already loves him. Unlike us, who everyone hates." Scott frowned, and Liam shook his head. "They hate us for trying to save their lives."_

 _Scott squatted down in front of him. "You're right," he said gently. "We are trying to save lives, which is why you're gonna get up and go to school and pretend like nothing happened because if you don't, more people could die."_

 _"Cause of me," Liam muttered. Theo had nearly died. Brett and Lori had nearly died, because of him._

 _"Hey, I know you," Scott said, reaching over to grab Liam's school bag, placing it between them. "And if you're afraid of seeing your friends die, then you'll go."_

 _Liam sighed. Scott smiled, and ruffled his hair as he stood up. He looked around suddenly, sniffing the air._

 _"Why does your room smell like Theo?"_

 _"I'm going to school," Liam yelled, standing up and shoving Scott out the door. 'Bye, Scott." He shut the door behind him, leaning against it as he listened to his alpha's heartbeat on the other side of the door._

 _"Liam?" Scott said quietly._

 _"I'm gonna be late," Liam growled, his heart racing. Scott sighed, and then after a few moments, Liam heard him walk away._

 _Liam's shoulders slumped as he heard the front door shut quietly. He still was not quite sure how to feel about this connection between him and Theo. The way that Theo and Scott kept dancing around the issue told him that there was more to it than what they were telling him. And he was not quite sure if he was ready to face it._

* * *

Theo walked through the preserve, straining against the red string. It was nowhere near as stretchy now that Liam was aware of it as well. His wrist throbbed as he tried to put as much distance between them as possible.

He had woken an hour earlier, wrapped around Liam, their limbs intertwined. His wolf had almost been purring, their nose pressed against Liam's neck in their favourite position. It terrified him, how safe he felt in Liam's arms.

Slowly, he extricated himself, doing his best not to wake up the other boy. Liam stirred and Theo froze, eyes wide as he stared down at him. He mumbled under his breath, frowning and then rolled away from Theo, cuddling his pillow instead. Theo sighed, relief and disappointment warring inside of him. Part of him had hoped that Liam would wake, would demand answers. Instead, he got up, nabbing a hoodie from Liam's closet and quietly letting himself out.

The string was a kilometre or two long at most when Theo could go no further. He slid down a tree, holding his aching wrist in his other hand, cradling it to his chest.

Exhaustion made him close his eyes, letting his head thump back against the wood behind him. The scent of his alpha was soon joined by the sound of Scott charging through the undergrowth, clearly not trying to hide his approach. Theo sighed, he knew it was a matter of time before Scott caught up with him to kick him out of the pack officially.

"Can we just get this over with?" Theo said through clenched teeth, eyes still closed tight when he heard the footsteps stop only a few feet away.

"Ok, why haven't you told him yet?" Scott snarled back.

"What, because you didn't do enough?" Theo snapped, eyes opening, glowing gold in the murky light of the woods.

"What?" Scott said, squinting at him.

"Liam thinks that our bond has something to do with us both being bitten by you," Theo said, eyes darting around, focusing on anything that was not his alpha.

"I didn't tell him that, he came up with that on his own," Scott said quietly. "We had to find you, and we couldn't get a scent, so I had to use what was available."

"You want him to figure it out so you can convince him to end it, do whatever fucking spell you have found that will cut this," he held up his wrist. Scott's eyes flashed red, taking in the string.

"That's not-" Scott started, fumbling for words.

"What? Not what you expected?" Theo retorted, feeling his eyes prickle with tears. "No one expected the big bad chimera to want your sweet little beta," Theo spat, standing up, his chest heaving.

"But that's not you anymore, you're not a chimera anymore, you're not that guy," Scott said calmly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper.

"If I'm out of the pack, then just say it" Theo goaded, blinking back the furious tears threatening to spill. Scott stared at him, frowning, paper clenched in his fist, the same paper that held the answer to Liam being ripped away from him, and suddenly Theo could not stand to be there anymore. He did not want to hear the words. He did not want to leave the pack, leave Liam.

"Theo, that's not what I came here for. I want-" Scott began, but was cut off by Theo pulling off his clothes, transforming to wolf form and loping away.

* * *

Theo walked through the school, agitated. Not only was he riled up from yet another argument with Scott, but he was now also going to be late for class. He had hoped to be here earlier, to be around to anchor Liam, but instead he had wasted far too much time running in wolf form through the preserve, processing his conversation with the alpha. Being able to full-shift was a double edged sword, it let off stress like nothing else, but finding your clothes afterwards always took time.

The few students in the halls looked twice as they saw him, eyes wary, and Theo scowled at them. To be honest, he did not really give a shit what any of them thought about him, but the idea of them looking at Liam like that made his lip curl into a sneer.

As the bell rang, students filtered out of the classrooms, and Theo glared at anyone who whispered their nasty little comments to each other. They all scuttled out of his way as he stalked down the corridor.

He stopped as he noticed that a lot of the exits were being blocked by big, burly lacrosse players.

Ahead, Theo could hear a scuffle, anger strumming along the red string. He dropped his bag as he rushed forwards. Students screamed as they dove out of his way, but Theo just grinned at them, rage boiling inside him. If they were hurting his Liam, they would pay.

The first thing he smelt was blood, Liam's blood. Mason was trying to force his way in the door, screaming at them to let him go. Theo glided forwards with predatory grace, and like all weak prey they sensed him coming.

"Theo, thank god," Mason said, turning to spot him.

"Move," Theo commanded. Mason nodded frantically, moving to the side. Theo growled at the rest of the humans blocking the door, blocking the way to his mate. He was already fighting against his own alpha to keep Liam, there was no way that he would allow a bunch of teenagers to stand in his way.

He snarled at them, fangs bared, eyes yellow, and they all moved slowly to the side, terrified, and then Theo could see a crowd of students standing in a circle. He moved towards them, pausing next to a woman he was pretty sure was Liam's Biology teacher.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" He hissed. She turned sharply, taking in his eyes and fangs.

"What are you doing?" She gasped. "You'll expose us."

"Us?" He asked, sniffing. She smelt like a werewolf, and he bared his teeth at her, just another threat, another person standing between him and what was his. "That's my fucking mate down there, bitch."

She grabbed his arm as he moved forwards, but he turned and lashed out at her, his claws leaving gouges across her face. The students around them screamed, and then watched in fascination as the cuts healed before their eyes.

"Too late," he crooned. The woman turned and fled, and Theo watched her, eyes hard. What did he care about exposing them? Last night had already opened that particular bag of worms. There was no way in hell that he would let some punk-ass high school kids bash Liam just to preserve a defunct secret.

Two boys stood over Liam's shaking body, malice clear in their expressions. Somehow, they had not noticed him yet, which was their second big mistake. The first being touching his mate in the first place.

The taller boy grabbed Liam's hair, forcing his head back, before kneeing him right in the face, making him cry out in pain as he slumped to the ground. He lay there, gasping, blood pouring from his face. Theo had seen enough.

"You want a fight?" Theo snarled. "Come and get it."

They turned, eyes wide in fear as he launched himself at them, claws extended.

"Theo, no," Liam yelled, struggling to get to his feet. Theo ignored him, holding each of the boys by their throats, their legs dangling as he lifted them up. They beat at his arms, panicked, and he smiled at them wickedly.

"You dickheads have made a very big mistake," he said, leering at them. Their eyes bugged out of their heads as he applied a little more pressure. Air whistled through their throats as they desperately tried to breathe.

Liam placed a hand on his arm. "Theo, please," he whispered.

"Look at you," Theo snarled. "Why the fuck should I spare them?"

Liam slid a bloody hand up to Theo's face, turning it so that he looked at him. "They're only human."

"So are you," Theo said, eyes flashing.

"Not to them," Liam sighed, his thumb rubbing over Theo's cheek. "Let them go, Theo."

With a snarl, Theo sent them both sliding backwards. They clutched their throats, bruises already forming, as they gasped for breath. The wolf inside Theo revelled over the fact that they would have a reminder of his wrath. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down, but his nostrils were filled with the scent of Liam's blood.

He whirled around, pushing back through the crowd. Just as he walked out, Coach Finstock stormed in, Corey behind him, and he screamed at the crowd of onlookers. Theo did not look back as he raced through the school, shoving the double doors open and racing across the lacrosse pitch.

After running for a kilometre or two, he fell to all fours as the string pulled taut.

His arms shook as he got up slowly. The metallic tang of blood still swirled around him, making him feel ill. Tentatively, he pressed his hand to his cheek, coming away sticky with Liam's blood. Theo rubbed his fingers together, anger simmering inside him, boiling over. He lashed out at the nearest tree, visualising Scott, that bitch teacher, the hunters, the assholes who kept hurting Liam, Tara, anyone and everyone who had made him feel like dark hands were grabbing at him and tearing him apart, punching again and again, the bones of his hand splintering under the pressure.

He fell to his knees.

Distantly, he examined the damage to his hand, the agonising pain somehow calming the storm of emotions that had been lashing through his chest. He felt numb.


	13. Chapter 13

_Mason helped Liam out into the carpark. He had prevented himself from healing while they were still inside the school, not wanting to give anyone another excuse to call him a monster, but now that he was outside and it was dark, he sighed in relief as his nose finally reset._

 _"I know what you were doing," Mason said quietly._

 _"Yeah, trying not to shift," Liam muttered._

 _"No, you took that beating because you think you deserve it because of what happened to Theo, Brett and Lori," Mason said._

 _Liam sighed as he leaned against Mason's car, still clutching his ribs. "Maybe I do." Mason stood in front of him, concern shining in his eyes._

 _"You took a beating, but you didn't deserve it," Mason said, shaking his head._

 _"I know I didn't hurt them," Liam said firmly. "A hunter did, and she has a name."_

 _"Yeah, and she's also got new recruits too," Mason pointed out. "See, Nolan's not the only one you gotta worry about now."_

 _"You mean Gabe?" Liam asked, frowning._

 _"No, I mean, like, everyone. Nolan didn't just want you to shift in front of everyone to show them that you're a werewolf. He wanted to show everyone that you're the enemy," Mason explained._

 _"That we should be hunted," Liam whispered, head whipping around as he stared off into the preserve. He had felt the red string pull taut earlier when he had been sitting in the principal's office, begging Lydia's mum not to call his parents. It lead off into the woods. "We need to warn Theo."_

 _"What?" Mason asked, frowning as he followed Liam's line of sight._

 _"He's in the preserve," Liam said impatiently. "I felt him running out there earlier through our connection." He took off at a jog, and Mason followed him._

 _"What connection?" Mason questioned._

 _"The one between betas," Liam explained. "It's a red string around our wrists."_

 _"Wait, a red string?" Mason exclaimed._

 _"Yeah, why? Have you heard of it?" Liam asked, gathering the string in his hands as he moved forwards, untangling it from trees and bushes as he wound it into a ball._

 _"It rings a bell," Mason said, swallowing nervously as Liam glanced at him, his heart racing. Yet another person that was not telling him the truth. Liam sighed, but turned his focus back to finding Theo. This was more important._

 _He took another step forward, and then a sickening feeling swept through his stomach as the ground fell out from underneath him, sending him flying into a hole at least four or five metres deep. He landed on the bottom of it with a groan, feeling his ankle break underneath him. He grunted in pain as he rolled off of it, staring up at Mason's worried face, peering down at him from the edge of the hole._

 _"Oh for fuck's sake," Liam growled._

* * *

Theo wandered aimlessly through the forest, hugging his mangled arm close to his body and allowing the sticks and dirt sticking out of his skin to hinder his healing. He had walked in three directions already, each time being pulled back by the string, still snug and clean on his uninjured wrist.

The sun was setting in the sky by the time Theo allowed himself to be reeled in by the string. He wiggled his fingers and winced as pain shot through him, grounding him and distracting his mind to focus on something that was not the boy on the other end, now pulling him in.

Coming to a clearing, he let out a sharp exhale of breath as he saw the string lead down into a hole in the ground. Pulling the sleeve of Liam's now dirty hoodie over his mangled hand, he winced as the open skin rubbed against the grubby cotton.

"What's wrong Timmy? Trapped in another well?" Theo scoffed, peering over the side of the hole and snorting with laughter at the sight of Liam, sitting at the bottom of the hole, eyes glowing yellow and surrounded by coils of red string. Theo grinned wide and Liam huffed. "Fuck Little Wolf, you look fucking ridiculous."

And for the second time that year, Theo was falling into the earth, this time dragged down by the red string of fate that tethered him to his soulmate.

"That's for the lassie reference," Liam said, before letting his eyes take in Theo, who had landed with his injured arm underneath him and was rolling on the ground, face scrunched with pain.

"And I thought you pulled me down here because you missed me," Theo wheezed, rolling to his back and cradling his arm.

"What the hell happened to you?" Liam asked, hobbling the short distance between them and sitting down next to Theo, swinging his own healing leg out in front of him.

"Had a run in with a tree. And the ground," Theo said, brushing his fingers over the bones once again sticking out of his skin and wincing at the fresh pain.

"Dude, I think you're going to need that looked at," Liam said, grabbing Theo's arm and examining it.

"Fine, we'll just hop out of here and I'll head over the hospital and explain why I have no records on file," Theo snapped, pulling his arm out of Liam's grasp. "I can't pull myself up. Can you jump out and give me a hand?"

"Would, but can't," Liam said, pulling up the bottom of his sweat pants to show off the still brilliant bruises and messed up ankle. "Broke my leg when I fell down here."

"You pulled me down here knowing there was no way to get out," Theo said, his face stony as he slammed his injured hand into the ground, letting the pain fuel his rage.

"Well it's not as if we'll be out here all night." Liam said, looking confused at Theo's temper. "Mason was out here when I fell, he's gone to get help."

"You think I need this today? I swear to god Dunbar-"

"Hey buddy, I have a ladder and a rope. Oh Theo, you're in the hole too!" Mason looked over the side of the hole.

"Mason," Liam breathed. "Thank God!"

"And me!" Corey peered over next to him, barely containing a laugh at the sight of the two werewolves at the bottom. He seemed to get a whiff of the anger radiating upwards as his face fell to a frown. "Uh Mase, I think we need to get these boys out."

Within moments, Liam and Theo were back at ground level, glaring at each other. Noticing Theo's hand, Mason grabbed it, using his phone light to see better in the twilight.

"Dude, there is no way this happened from the fall."

"Wow, no wonder you're known as a smart one in the group." Theo drawled, pulling his hand back. "You know, I really don't know why I ever thought belonging to this pack was a good idea." He said angrily, stalking into the forest and disappearing from sight.

* * *

Theo walked all the way back to his truck and drove to Scott's house. He did not go there intentionally, he had just set out, determined to get as far from Liam and that stupid hole in the ground as he could. Without realising it, he ended up on the McCall's doorstep, finger poised over the doorbell despite the key in his pocket.

At the very least he could take a shower and gather his things. He was still wearing Liam's clothes, which were far too tight and now covered in dirt and blood. Deciding to just slip in and get this over and done with, he pulled the key from his pocket, opening the door as quietly as was possible with his one good hand and slipping into the house.

Only to then promptly run straight into Melissa McCall.

Melissa McCall, fully qualified ER nurse and mother of the famed True Alpha of Beacon Hills. Melissa McCall, who took one look at his damaged hand, squared her shoulders and pulled him wordlessly into the kitchen, sitting him at the kitchen table before moving to get the first aid kit from under the sink.

"So you want to talk about it?" She asked, placing the damaged hand in a bowl of warm water, the water soon turning rusty as the dried blood and dirt was washed from Theo's hand

"Nothing to talk about." Theo shrugged, gritting his teeth as he watched her tend to his hand.

"The fact that you have smashed your hand to bits says otherwise, Theo," Melissa said quietly, getting up and emptying the bowl in the sink and refilling it. "I've raised a teenage werewolf and I work in ER. You wouldn't believe how many of these I bandage on teenage boys a day." She smiled gently, running the cloth over his hand, making sure it was completely clean before moving it to the table.

"I highly doubt Scott's control ever slips like this," Theo said bitterly, staring at his hand, heart rate increasing at the sight of his bones sticking through the skin. Melissa let out a shaky laugh

"Oh boy, you have no idea. I can't even say that it's gotten better since he's become the alpha." She cocked her head to the side, trying to work out a place to start. "If I get the bones back in where they are meant to be and bandage this, your healing should take over, yeah?" Theo nodded, grabbing a washcloth from the pile on the table and placing it in his mouth. He nodded at Melissa to continue.

"We used to have a pine tree in the backyard. Used to hang my hammock from it in the summer." Crack! One bone was pushed back into the skin. "Scott destroyed it within the first month of being an alpha, just couldn't control his anger." Snap! "I think I was patching something up on that boy every day." Pop! She pushed his dislocated thumb back into place.

Theo looked at Melissa with wide eyes. She had put his bones back under the skin, manipulating them until she was happy they were where they needed to be to heal right.

"You're a tough one, that's for sure." Melissa said, reaching for the surgical tape to make sure any wounds stayed closed.

"Never had a choice." Theo muttered, taking the washcloth out of his mouth now that the worst was over. At this statement, Melissa eyed him suspiciously. "They told you about me, and you still let me stay here," Theo said, gaze averted, voice barely above a whisper.

Melissa let out a sigh, grabbing a dressing and bandage from the table.

"I remembered you, from before." Melissa said thoughtfully. "You were a weedy kid, always in and out of hospital with your asthma. I remember your mother, and how terrified she was all the time that one day you would just stop breathing altogether." Theo sucked in a breath at the thought of his real mother, killed by the Dread Doctors. "When Scott told me you had been brought back, and that he'd given you the bite, something told me that you needed someone on your team, that you haven't had anyone on there for a long time."

She sat back and admired her work. Looking up, she was met with the sight of Theo with tears streaming down his face, his bottom lip trembling.

"Oh honey, come here." She held her arms open, and big bad Theo Raeken folded into them, his body racked with painful sobs that poured from him, beyond his control. He cried for all the things that he had lost in his life: his sister, his parents, and any chance he had of being part a pack. Breathing in the smell of motherly affection and concern that rolled off Melissa, Theo cursed himself for ruining every chance he was given.

* * *

After his moment was over, and Theo had calmed his heart rate to something resembling normal, Melissa patted him on the shoulder one last time before moving back to the kitchen, pulling out a plastic garbage bag and a roll of tape. Theo rubbed the tears from his cheeks before raising his eyebrows in silent question.

"For your hand, you need a shower, kid, and frankly the patch job I did on that hand is a masterpiece." Melissa smiled warmly, in the way that only mothers can, before she gently lifted his hand, wrapping it in the plastic bag and taping it securely at this elbow. "There, that should be waterproof. Now hit the showers, there are clean clothes that actually fit up in your room." She said, cleaning up the mess of bloodied towels and bandage wrappers.

Theo stood on shaky legs and moved towards the stairs. There had been so many people through the McCall house this past week, he paid no mind to the influx of familiar and unfamiliar smells as he pulled a towel from the linen press and locked himself in the bathroom.

Taking a shower was a lot easier when there was not a naked Liam on the other side of the door. Theo blasted the hot water, letting it sooth his aching muscles and wash away the dirt, blood and grime still on his body. Scrubbing his body until it was pink, Theo shut off the water and stepping into the steamy bathroom wrapping a fluffy towel around his waist. He glanced at himself in the mirror and the unopened pack of razors sitting on the ledge of the bathtub, waiting to be put away. Rubbing his hand over the scruff that was growing on his face, he decided that it was a problem for future Theo to deal with and he left the bathroom.

His bedroom was down the hall from Scott's, it had once belonged to Isaac but since he had left for France the McCall's had used it to hold the washing that was clean but not folded and put away. Now the pile of clothes was jammed into a corner of Melissa's room in order to make Theo feel welcome and the spare room was now his own space.

Except that it was currently occupied.

By Brett.

With the freaking eight pack abs.

Theo sucked in a deep breath and fixed a glare on the boy currently lazing, shirtless, in his bed. The plain sheets hung low around the werewolf's waist, the only thing stopping Theo from throwing a fit was the visible waistline of underwear, showing him that Brett was not naked in his sheets.

"Got a problem, Raeken?" Brett drawled, raking his eyes over Theo's body, reminding Theo that he was only covered by a towel.

"Only a little one," Theo said, returning the heated look. Brett raised his eyebrows at this, looking down along his own chest before looking back up to Theo.

"Huh, little isn't the word I would have used. " Brett smirked "I would have said you have a huge problem."

"Can you just get out of here so I can get dressed?" Theo said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't see what the rush is, you're not packing anything I haven't seen before," Brett winked.

"You're such a pain in the ass," Theo snapped, making sure his towel was tucked in tight.

"Hey don't be like that, baby, I'd make it so good for you," Brett said smoothly, biting his lower lip.

"What are you doing in by bed, Talbot?" Theo asked, ignoring the way the other werewolf continued to look at him.

"The alpha put me here, to lay low, to heal. He wasn't sure when you'd be done having your little crisis so he said I could rest up in here."

"You look fine now, time to get the hell out of my room," Theo snarled through gritted teeth.

"If this is your room," Brett said, wiggling further down in the sheets, while still managing to push the top sheet down so he was still showing the maximum amount of skin, "then why is the dresser empty?" Theo glanced over to where his bag had been thrown in a corner, the clothes Melissa had washed and dried for him piled haphazardly on top.

"You touched my stuff," Theo spat out the words, one hand tightening on the towel around his waist.

"Maybe keeping yourself mobile so the next time Liam needs someone to hold his hand, you'll be ready to go?" At this Theo snarled, letting his eyes flash gold and his fangs drop into his mouth. "Oh a sore spot? You sure do have it bad for the baby wolf, don't you Raeken?"

With a flash, Theo let go of the towel and was on Brett, straddling him and colliding his fist with the other werewolf's face. Blood spurted from Brett's nose as he struggled to gain any ground from Theo, the freshly healed injury to his shoulder limiting his range of movement and allowing Theo to gain the upper hand. Using the strength in his legs, Brett managed to flip them down onto the floor, causing the chest of drawers to crash back into the wall, and Theo to yell in pain as Brett sank his teeth into Theo's uninjured arm.

"No wonder you're in so deep for Dunbar, you boys get fired up over the littlest thing," Brett goaded, chest heaving as he tried to maintain control but finding himself being pushed face first into the carpet by Theo's clawed hand.

"Oh what the hell!" Came Melissa's shout from the doorway, and when Theo made no effort to stop pushing Brett's face into the carpet, and Brett made no effort to retract the claws he had dug into Theo's side, she emptied the glass of ice water over the top of the two boys, causing them to hiss and break apart.

Grabbing his towel Theo covered himself again, but did not miss the way that Brett looked at him as he pulled himself up, popping his jaw back into place.

"I swear, I'm not going to ask why you two were wrestling, naked, on my floor, but so help me Theo if you have done any more damage to that hand." Melissa seethed. "You-" she gestured at Brett. "It's time you relocate to the couch downstairs and for the love of all that is holy put some clothes on." Brett grabbed his clothes and slunk from the room, clearly intimidated.

"And you, you still look like crap, honey. You are going to eat this sandwich," she pushed a ham and cheese sandwich into his hands, "and take a nap before the rest of the pack gets here. Scott's called a meeting."

Taking the sandwich, Theo flopped back on the bed, with the door safely shut he did not bother to pull on any clothes. Once his sandwich was finished, Theo settled in his sheets, cursing as Brett's scent filled his nostrils. He kicked the sheets off the bed and threw them towards the door with a muttered curse. He would deal with them later.

Now lying on the naked mattress, Theo grunted as he realised the smell had seeped through the sheets. Rolling over to one side of the bed, he wiggled his body as he did his best to get as much of his scent over the mattress as he could and wishing like hell that Liam was here to help him with this.

Once he was satisfied that the bed smelled like him again, he grabbed his blanket from over near his bag and wrapped it around himself, snuggling into the mattress and falling asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.


	14. Chapter 14

_Liam leaned against the wall in Scott's kitchen. Mason and Corey flanked him on either side. Liam had made it pretty clear after they had fished him and Theo out of the hole that he was not interested in being anywhere near the other wolf for the immediate future and the feeling had apparently been mutual, the other boy taking off straight away. Theo had been alternating between saving his life and pissing him off, and Liam was utterly sick of the constant rollercoaster of emotion that was being around Theo Raeken. His feelings were all over the place. Anger and fear and guilt and just general stress and anxiety warred together in a violent cocktail. He felt unsteady, like the ground was crumbling beneath him. Well, it literally had, and that gut-wrenching feeling he had had before falling aptly described his emotional state as well._

 _Something had to give. He could not go on like this for much longer. He cursed Hayden again for leaving him. He had never needed an anchor more than he did now._

 _Scott walked into the room with Malia and Lydia, his deputies more often than not now that Stiles was gone. Theo walked in behind Melissa, his hand wrapped tightly in white gauze and held to his chest with a sling. Liam glanced at him once and then looked away, his shoulders tense as he felt Theo looking at him. He probably wanted to apologise for snapping at him, but Liam was not ready to hear it._

 _Last to enter the room were the four omegas that wanted to join the McCall pack. Out of the corner of his eye, Liam noticed Theo glaring at Brett, who smirked at him in response. Liam frowned._

 _"You all know why we're here," Scott said, and everyone turned to look at him. "These guys want to join the pack. You all deserve to have a say."_

 _"Like we did when you turned Theo?" Malia snarked. Scott shot her a look, and she looked away from him with a huff. Liam glared at her. He was pissed at Theo, sure, but he hated that Malia took every opportunity to niggle at Theo and make him feel unwelcome. He still had not forgotten Malia nearly killing Theo when he had first returned. It seemed to matter more now than it had back then._

 _"May we speak?" Lori asked, her voice formal. Scott nodded, and she stepped forwards, looking at each of them in turn before settling on Liam. "Our alpha is dead. We were not with her when she died, but we felt it when our connection faltered and then flickered out." She took a deep breath, her eyes pained. "Liam, you've known us for many years now. You know that we're strong." She turned to address Scott. "We have helped this pack many times now, not only with battles, but with more personal stuff as well, like Brett helping Liam with lacrosse. We have been friends and allies to the McCall Pack. Please let us join you."_

 _She stepped back, and Brett placed a hand around her shoulders, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Liam watched the affectionate gesture, thinking of the many times that the two of them had been there when not only the pack, but Liam had needed them. He had no issue welcoming them to the pack._

 _"Thank you, Lori," Scott said solemnly. He turned his attention to the other two omegas. "Jiang and Tierney?"_

 _The two of them stepped forwards, hand in hand._

 _"We respectfully ask for you to consider us to join your pack," Tierney began, her eyes fierce as she stared at Scott. "You're a true alpha, so you're strong, and we won't survive without your help."_

 _There was a knock at the door, and Melissa slipped away to answer it._

 _"We're strong fighters, as Brett and Lori could tell you. We can help defend the pack in exchange for safety," Jiang said._

 _Melissa re-entered the room with the Sheriff and Parrish following behind her._

 _"We have a problem," she said, glancing at the omegas and then looking at Scott._

 _"The main one being that you're harbouring two fugitives," Stilinski said, hand on his holster as he stared at Jiang and Tierney. "I'm going to need to take these two into custody."_

 _"On what charges?" Scott asked, stepping closer._

 _"Murder," Parrish said, pulling out a set of handcuffs._

* * *

Scott, Lydia and Malia left with the Sheriff and Parrish, who escorted the two omegas from the McCall house in handcuffs.

"We should go with them," Lori said in a quiet voice, looking up at her brother. "They're pack."

"If you're going then I'm going too," Liam said, stepping closer.

Theo looked at them and sighed. He wanted nothing more than to go back upstairs and climb into bed and sleep until his hand had healed and the headache pounding between his eyes had gone away, but it was more or less inevitable these days that wherever Liam went, he was bound to follow.

"I guess we can take my truck," he said, moving to stand beside Liam.

Liam looked at him, eyes wary, and then narrowed as he sniffed the air.

"Why do you smell like Brett?" He demanded. Theo's eyes widened. Liam turned to look at Brett accusingly, sniffing him as well. "And you smell like Theo," he growled, eyes flashing.

"I can't help it if your boyfriend finds me irresistable," Brett said with a smirk. Theo glared at him.

"Fuck off, I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole," he snapped.

"Pity," Brett said, looking up and down his body and licking his lips.

Liam shoved him backwards, eyes burning amber. "Why do you smell like Theo?" He snarled. Theo stared at the back of his head, eyes wide, Liam's possessiveness catching him completely off guard.

"Back off, Liam," Lori warned, standing half a step in front of her brother, one arm raised to fend Liam off.

"I was in his bed," Brett said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Theo lunged forward, grabbing the back of Liam's hoodie with his left hand as the werewolf tried to launch himself at the other boy.

"Calm down," he said, "He's just trying to piss you off."

"Doesn't take much, these days," Brett said, a cocky smile on his face as he lounged against the wall, eyes glittering with mischief.

"Why do you even want to be in this pack?" Theo asked, glaring at the other boy.

"It's safer," Brett shrugged. "Or at least it will be once someone puts a leash on Liam. You'd be into that, right Theo?"

"Brett," Lori said, turning to look at her brother with a frown, "you're really not helping."

"Don't talk to him like that," Liam said, bristling with anger.

"Or what?" Brett said, gently pushing his sister aside as he stalked towards Liam. "What are you gonna do about it, IED?"

For a second, Theo thought that Liam was going to attack the other wolf. Brett clearly expected it, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, but instead Liam took a deep breath, shrugged Theo's hand off, and turned and walked away. He paused by the door. "I'll speak on your behalf to Scott, because I won't put your safety in jeopardy, but don't go thinking that we're friends, or that I want you anywhere near me."

Brett looked surprised, watching Liam walk away.

"That's the third time you've pissed me off in the past 24 hours," Theo said, glaring at Brett, malice seeping from every pore. "I suggest that if you want to survive the week that you make damn fucking sure there isn't a fourth." Brett stared at him, looking confused. Liam tugged at the string and Theo turned to follow him.

"Three times?" Brett asked. "I only remember two."

Theo stopped, looking back at him, bracing against the insistent tugging of the string. "The first time was when you pulled this shit on Liam at the lacrosse pitch."

"He told you about that, huh?" Brett mused.

"No," Theo said, "I was there."

"Weren't you being tortured?" Brett pointed out.

Theo held up the red string, flashing his eyes, Brett responding in kind. "I keep Liam on a pretty tight leash," Theo smirked. Brett looked at the string, and then up at Theo, understanding dawning on his face. Theo tilted his head, a nasty smile dancing on his lips. "Remember what I said."

He walked outside, finding Liam leaning against his truck, a scowl on his face as he tugged at the string.

"Why was he in your bed?' Liam hissed as he approached.

"Scott set him up in my room while he healed," Theo explained, walking past Liam to get into the driver's seat of the truck. Liam got into the passenger side, staring at him. "I kicked his ass and then Melissa made him leave."

He waited until Brett and Lori got into their own car and left, heading towards the police station, before replying.

"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions," Liam said softly.

Theo nodded. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier," he replied.

"It's forgotten," Liam said.

"Ditto," Theo said. They looked at each other for a moment that seemed to drag on for ages, and then Liam was looking down, frowning as he looked at Theo's mangled hand that was held in tight to his chest by a sling.

"You sure you can drive?" Liam asked, sounding concerned.

"Not really," Theo admitted.

Liam reached over, placing a hand on Theo's cheek, thumb brushing over it as black seeped into his veins. Theo shuddered, dropping his eyes as Liam took his pain, took away the last remaining wall he had built between them. It crumbled to dust, and he closed his eyes, breathing in Liam's scent. He opened them again moments later when red light flared between them, the string glowing as it thickened. The light faded, and Liam blinked in shock as he stared at it.

"What was that?" He asked, looking up at Theo slowly.

Theo tilted his head to the side, startled by the sense of calm that flowed through him, originating from the warm hand pressed to his cheek, still leaching his pain.

"I think I just acknowledged something I've known for a little while," he said quietly, cheeks flushing. "You're my anchor."

"Oh," Liam said, his heart racing in his chest. Liam's shock and confusion swirled around them, and Theo leaned away slightly from Liam's hand. He let it drop, instead tangling it through the string.

"Thanks," Theo said, feeling awkward. Liam nodded absentmindedly.

Theo started up the truck, only a twinge of pain shooting up his arm as he turned the key. Liam stared out the window as Theo pulled out onto the road.

* * *

Scott stood in front of the cell, Liam and Theo flanking him as they looked in at Jiang and Tierney.

"You wanted to be in my pack," Scott said, his eyes hard. "That's not going to happen unless you tell me what happened. The truth."

"Who did you kill?" Theo asked. "Was it you?" He looked at Jiang. "You?" He looked at Tierney. Neither of them said anything, their faces stony. "Both of you? Who's the murderer?" Jiang's closed his eyes, his lower lip trembling and Theo pressed in, sensing weakness. Tierney put her hand on Jiang's shoulder. "Alright, I get it. The longer you stay quiet, the better. Right? But you're here for murder."

"You're murderers," Liam said quietly.

"We're not murderers," Jiang exclaimed.

"Jiang," Tierney snapped.

"If you'd been there you'd know we didn't have a choice. They came after us," Jiang said, looking angry.

"Jiang, shut up," Tierney yelled.

Scott walked out of the room, followed by Liam and Theo.

"We good?" Theo asked Parrish, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not letting them out," Stilinski said, throwing down their arrest file. "We've got two bodies covered in slash marks. They confessed to killing two people."

"Hunters," Scott objected.

"People, Scott, self-defense or not, they're still here, the other guys are dead and and there's a process I have to follow," the Sheriff sighed.

Theo hung back, standing next to Liam, their shoulders pressed together as they watched while the others argued. Being back in the police station was making Theo feel tense, and he took comfort from the warmth of Liam pressed against his side. The other boy had a finger pressed against Theo's wrist, slowly siphoning away his remaining pain. He could feel the skin around his knuckles knitting together as his body healed.

"I can't believe they killed someone," Lori said quietly. "That goes against everything our pack believed in."

"You can't really blame them for defending themselves, Lori," Brett said, looking down at her. She shook her head, looking nauseous.

"Still," she insisted. "You can incapacitate without killing."

"You know what's happening around here," Scott said, looking at the Sheriff. "It's not safe for them."

"This may actually be the safest place for them in Beacon Hills. At least I can protect them here," Stilinski pointed out.

"Would Stiles think that?" Lydia asked, shocked.

"Especially if one of your Deputies is working for Gerard?" Malia said, eyes darting around the police station.

"I'm not buying that. I know these deputies like the back of my hand. I know their families, their kids, their brothers and sisters. I know who they are and I trust them," Stilinski said. Lydia and Malia looked around, eyeing the deputies who looked in at them from the windows.

Liam moved forward, his hand dropping from Theo's wrist. "You know who they were," he said insistently. "There's something out there. Everyone's afraid and it's getting worse."

"You can't protect two werewolves from hunters if they're already on the inside," Scott said.

The Sheriff sighed, before looking past them at the girl sitting in the corner of the room. "It's Quinn, right?" She looked over at him and nodded, looking pale and terrified. "You're sure it was a deputy who shot you? Absolutely, 100% sure?" She nodded once more.

"I saw flashing lights. A police car. I- I saw a badge, a gun, and then they shot me," she stuttered. "They shot me in the head and that's all that I remember."

The Sheriff sighed before turning back to Scott and the others. "There are a couple holes in her story."

"Maybe because there's a hole in her head," Lydia said sarcastically.

Malia chuckled at this. Everyone turned to look at her and she stopped. "I'm sorry."

"Sheriff, we need to get Jiang and Tierney out here before anyone realises that they're here," Scott said. Theo rolled his eyes. If the Sheriff had been willing to just let them go, he never would have arrested them in the first place.

"And take them where? I can't let them go," he said emphatically.

"But if you keep them here, they're-" Lydia began, before Stilinski interrupted her.

"-Look, if there's a problem," but he too was cut off as lights flashed through the windows, the sounds of many people exiting their cars and cocking guns. Stilinski whirled into action, running out the door of his office and into the station. "Get away from the windows. Put those guns away," he commanded.

"I'm guessing you know who's out there," Parrish said. Scott and Malia stood by the door, watching them, while the others crowded together, avoiding the window.

Theo ripped off his sling and bandage. His newly healed skin was bright pink and tender to the touch. It would probably split open again if he hit something, but it would do in a pinch. He placed himself next to Liam, who looked at him, eyes flashing as anger and fear filled him. Theo nodded at him, quirking a smile, and Liam smirked and nodded back. They were ready to fight if they needed to.

"I got a pretty good idea," Stilinski said bitterly.

"They'll be armed to the teeth," Parrish warned.

"Which is why I won't be," Stilinski said, removing his gun from its holster and placing it on the desk.

"I'm going with you," Parrish objected.

Stilinski shook his head. "No, you're gonna get some deputies, check the exits, and hope we're not completely surrounded. And keep an eye out. Let's make sure we're all on the same side here."

Parrish frowned, glancing around, while the Sheriff walked to the front door, putting his hands up as he slowly stepped outside.

Scott and Malia moved to the window, peering through the blinds. Then Malia was glancing around, eyes wide, sniffing deeply.

"We have to get out of here," she said.

"Just give him a chance," Scott said. "He knows what he's doing."

"I am giving him a chance. He can talk all he wants but we have to get the hell out of here," she cried. Panic swirled around her, sickly sweet.

"How do we get Jiang and Tierney out?" Lori asked.

"Screw them, it's Stilinski's job," Malia spat.

"But it's our job to keep them alive," Scott said quietly, stepping closer to Malia.

"Can we please just go," Malia begged.

"We're not going anywhere," Quinn snapped. "Don't you get it? We're trapped, they have all of the windows and doors covered. We're going to die in here."

"Someone want to kill her?" Theo muttered. Malia whirled on him. Theo took a step back, shocked by the rage burning in her eyes. Liam shifted so that he was in front of Theo, his eyes flashing.

"Shut up," she snarled. Scott strode forward, grabbing her arm.

"Malia, take a breath," he said, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," she said unconvincingly, dropping her eyes. Theo took a shaky breath. Malia was scary when she was riled up like that. It was times like this that Theo remembered that the girl had lived half of her life as a wild animal.

"There's only a dozen of them out there, we can take them," Lydia said. Scott shook his head.

"Scott, they're the last of Satomi's pack," Liam said.

"Other than us, of course," Brett drawled, winking at Liam. He rolled his eyes.

"We can't leave them behind," Liam continued.

Scott looked at each of them, before turning and placing his hands on Malia's shoulders. "Ok," he said, "we go." He glanced at Liam, Brett and Lori. "But Jiang and Tierney are coming with us."

Liam nodded, as did everyone else. They had a plan.

With all of the deputies distracted, it was easy to sneak Jiang and Tierney out, who followed after Scott without question.

They moved to one of the exits, Scott in the lead.

"You ready?" Scott asked, looking at Lydia. She nodded solemnly. Malia bared her teeth, and Liam held up his claws. He raised an eyebrow at Theo, who sighed, before holding up his own claws. Last, he looked at the four omegas.

"You in?" He asked.

"We're in," Lori said, nodding. Brett bared his teeth, looking serious for once. Jiang and Tierney nodded as well, looking frightened.

Just as Scott was about to go through the door, they were stopped by the sound of the Sheriff's voice.

"Nobody's going anywhere," he boomed.

"We can get through them," Lydia said earnestly.

"We're not gonna fire the first shot," Stilinski said, "now get back from the door, all of you. Parrish, get these two back in their cell." Parrish moved to follow his orders, while Scott strode towards the Sheriff.

"What happened?" Scott asked.

"She gave us until midnight," Stilinski said in a low voice. Scott nodded slowly. "Barricade the doors and windows," the Sheriff instructed. Everyone, deputies, pack members and omegas scrambled to obey.


	15. Chapter 15

_They stood around the police station in groups of twos and threes, whispering to each other. The power cut out, and the muttering only increased._

 _"How easy is it to cut the power on the Sheriff Station?" Malia asked._

 _"Too easy," one of the deputies said, striding through the door, throwing a teenage boy to the ground. Liam bared his teeth, rage flashing through him at the sight of Nolan._

 _"Throw him out," he growled._

 _"No, you can't, ok, please don't," Nolan begged, "she'll know I screwed up."Liam_

 _"He's with them," Liam said, teeth bared. Theo stood right next to him, holding him back, and appreciated the gesture even though he wanted nothing more than to rush forward and rip the little worm apart._

 _"Liam," Scott said quietly._

 _"He's a liar and he's sick in the head," he said, not taking his eyes off of Nolan._

 _"And now he's under arrest," Stilinski said. "Lock him up." Parrish grabbed Nolan by the arm, hauling him up and out of the room._

 _Liam snarled, and Theo grabbed his arm as well, dragging him into a side room._

* * *

Theo let go of Liam's arm and watched as he paced across the enclosed space restlessly.

"Look, Monroe's not gonna stop," Theo hissed. "We have to start thinking about our own pack. Nothing we say is gonna make them get in their cars and drive away. Those two losers killed hunters."

"Who killed their pack," Liam argued, eyes flashing.

"So what? I mean, Monroe's gonna tear through anything standing between her and them. That means you, Lydia, Malia and Scott. You gonna watch your friends die?" Theo asked. Fear was clutching at his chest, making his hands tremble. Liam never considered his own survival, too busy trying to save everyone around him for any sort of self-preservation. Well, Theo was not just going to stand by and let his mate die.

"Are you gonna watch hunters murder them? Jiang and Tierney weren't the only ones that were part of Satomi's pack," Liam said.

"Yeah, right. Sorry if I'm not losing sleep over that asshole Brett and his sister," Theo growled.

"They were nearly murdered," Liam yelled. "Brett and Lori. They didn't have anything to do with this."

"So what? You think saving those two is gonna make everything feel better?" Theo scoffed. "You don't have to take on every stray you come across, Liam."

Liam punched him, knocking him to the ground, and Theo groaned in pain. He held a hand to his broken nose while staring up at Liam. The other boy stood over him, panting with anger. Both of them turned towards the door as Parrish called out.

"Everyone, get down!"

Liam fell forwards as an explosion rattled the doors and windows, landing with a grunt next to Theo.

"Are you ok?" Theo asked, sitting up, eyes skimming over Liam's back to check for injury.

"I'm fine," Liam muttered, rolling over and sitting up as well. They got to their feet. "We have to check on Jiang and Tierney." Theo nodded, slipping down the hallway behind Liam.

They got there just in time, Liam grabbing Nolan's arm just as he was about to throw down a vial of purple wolfsbane. He glanced at Jiang and Tierney, and then with his other hand, he grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced him out of the room.

Nolan whimpered as Liam lead him to Scott, the wolfsbane in his hand. "Wolfsbane. He was trying to kill them." Scott stared at Nolan, eyes dark with anger, but LIam placed his hand up. "Scott, there's something else you need to see."

Malia grabbed Nolan, snarling at him, while Scott followed Liam and Theo back to the cell.

"Show him your eyes," Liam commanded, staring at Jiang and Tierney, bristling with anger.

"We never said we were innocent," Tierney said from where she sat on the bench next to Jiang.

"Show me," Scott said firmly. They did not look up. He roared, rattling the bars. "Show me!" His eyes flashed red, fangs bared.

They both turned to look at him, their eyes shining a bright blue. Theo shook his head. They were here risking their lives for these two, only to find out that they had murdered innocent people.

"Tell me what happened," Scott demanded.

"They were hunters," Tierney shrugged.

"If I'm asking my friends to risk their lives for you, then you have to tell me the truth. What happened?" Scott said.

"Satomi didn't want to fight," Jiang explained reluctantly. "We were on the run for two days, but they were everywhere. Then it was just us hiding in the storm drain while Satomi tried to talk to them."

"But they didn't want to talk," Tierney said fiercely, "she died so we could keep running."

"And then what?" Liam asked.

"We stopped running and we started hunting them instead," Tierney replied.

"How?"

"It's not hard to use public records to find where someone lives, all you need is a name," Tierney replied. Theo stared at her from where he leaned at the back of the room. She was ruthless, a killer, just like him. Scott did not deal well with ruthless killers, he just did not understand them. It was fight or flight, death or survival. Sometimes it really did seem like there was no other choice. He shifted nervously, and Liam shot a glance at him. Theo twirled the string around his hand, trying to stay calm. This was the exact reason Scott did not want him anywhere near Liam, wanted to sever their bond. He dropped his eyes to the floor, feeling uneasy.

"Were they the ones that killed Satomi? Or Brett and Lori? Did you see them kill anyone?" Scott demanded.

"Does it matter?" Tierney burst out.

"It does matter. You can't kill innocent people," Liam snapped. Theo closed his eyes with a shuddering sigh, regret choking him. He thought of his sister, drowning, crying out for him as she reached a hand towards him where he stood on the bridge. He thought of Josh, who he had killed for his powers, stealing his electricity so that he could put on the Dread Doctor's mask.

And finally, he thought of Tracy. He had kissed her and then stabbed her in the back, betraying the last remaining member of his chimera pack for her kanima venom. He had destroyed everything good in his life, his sister, his pack, and even his second chance was smoke in the wind. He was damaged goods, a killer, and Scott did not want him around.

"They murdered our whole pack," Tierney said, moving closer to Scott, getting in his face. "You really think any of them are more innocent than us?"

"What are you gonna do?" Jiang asked.

"I don't know," Scott admitted, turning away from them and stalking back to Liam and Theo. They walked into the main office, with Scott leaving them with a nod to go and talk to Stilinski.

"Please don't say I told you so," Liam muttered, not looking into Theo's eyes. Theo shrugged, too caught up in his own self-pity to care about being proved right.

The glass at the front of the sheriff station smashed as a bolt flew threw it, thudding into the back wall. Scott and Stilinski rushed from the Sheriff's office as Malia wrenched it out.

There was a scrap of fabric attached to the arrow.

Liam unfolded it, showing a part of a lacrosse uniform. "It's my number," Brett said with a frown, stepping forward to take it off Liam.

"They're trying to rattle us," Lydia said.

"It's working," Theo growled. Liam's anger thrummed through their connection, and Theo stepped closer.

A cry sounded from another room, and Parrish and Stilinski ran to investigate.

"It's one thing after another," Malia snarled, snapping the crossbow bolt in her hand.

A gunshot sounded and they all flinched. Scott ran to the door. Moments later he returned, eyes wide with shock. "One of the deputies shot herself," he said. "Parrish and Stilinski were cutting down another one that hung himself."

"What the fuck is going on?" Brett said, fear making his voice shake.

"I don't know," Scott admitted.

Scott walked back into the other room with Lydia in tow. The rest of the pack looked at each other. They were trapped in here, and now something inside the Sheriff station was driving people to take their own lives. Fear tainted the air like smoke, stifling the room and making it hard to breathe.

Scott walked back in, grabbing Theo and leading him to the front window. They looked through it at Monroe and the other hunters. "Did you see her at the warehouse?" Scott asked. "Monroe?"

"There were two guys," Theo said. "They were the main ones, and that guy from Eichen. Maybe two others with shotguns."

"Did Monroe talk to them?" Scott pressed.

"No, I don't think so," Theo said, shaking his head.

"Ok, and Tierney and Jiang only just got there when we did," Scott nodded.

"What are you getting at, Scott?" The Sheriff asked.

"I've got an idea," Scott said, "but I don't think you're gonna like it."

"If it keeps them from getting killed, I'm pretty open," Stilinski said.

"Monroe said that she wanted Jiang and Tierney brought out, dead or alive," Scott said. Theo nodded slowly. They had two dead bodies conveniently lying in the office.

The Sheriff cleared all of the deputies from the room, and Scott and Theo worked together to place the dead deputies in two body bags. Stilinski fired his gun at the ceiling, three quick shots.

Liam stood by the window, peering out at the hunters.

"They all ducked and ran for cover," he said grimly.

"You've got five minutes," Stilinski said to Scott, his voice grim. Scott nodded, kneeling down to close the zipper on the bag closest to him.

Stilinski lead the way out of the front door, his arms up. Theo and Scott followed, dragging the body bags behind them. Theo knelt by his bag, his eyes wary as he took in the hunters, all pointing their gun at him. Idly, he wondered what he was doing here helping Scott, as if he was still part of the pack.

He could feel the red string around his wrist humming with anxiety.

"You better come out of this alive, asshole," he heard Liam mutter. He inclined his head slightly, giving the string a light tug.

Monroe walked towards them, and Theo watched her, eyes narrowed. It was now obvious why he had been so tense around this woman.

"They tried to run," Stilinski said grimly as Monroe came to a stop next to him. "Tried to take a couple of deputies with them. Either way, you got what you wanted."

"Let me see their faces," Monroe said, tilting her head and looking at the Sheriff with a cocky smile.

The Sheriff nodded at Theo and Scott, who slowly unzipped the bags. Monroe walked close enough to see them, but kept her distance.

"What's wrong?" Scott asked. "You don't recognise them?"

"Show me their tattoos," she demanded.

"What tattoos?" Scott asked, frowning. Theo's heart sunk in his chest.

"The pack symbol," Monroe snapped.

"I was hoping for a fight," Theo muttered to Scott. He could hear Liam cursing on the other side of the window.

"Good thing you're not the only one who can negotiate," a man said, brushing through the group of hunters and coming to stand between Stilinski and Monroe.

"Dad?" Scott said, looking bewildered. Scott and Theo got to their feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure no one else dies tonight," he replied. "Go back inside."

Scott nodded, grabbing Theo's arm and leading him back inside. He shrugged Scott off and moved to stand by Liam, breathing in his scent. Liam seemed equally relieved to see him. He still had the red string clenched firmly in his hand, having wrapped it around his fist several times.

They waited for five minutes and then Stilinski and Scott's dad walked back in, locking the door behind them.

He explained the deal to them quickly and succinctly, and they all looked around at each other, dismay edged on all of their features.

"Scott, are you sure about this?" Lydia asked.

"I'm not," Liam muttered, "this deal sucks."

"But it's the only one on the table," Scott's dad said firmly. "In a situation like this, the best solution is always to de-escalate." He looked at Stilinski. "It's why you called me, isn't it?"

"To be honest," the Sheriff said quietly, "I didn't think anyone was gonna show up."

Scott sighed. "Ok." Everyone looked at him sharply. "We'll go."

* * *

Parrish and Stilinski lead the way out the front door. Raphael escorted Jiang and Tierney into the van, and Tierney turned to look at them all. "Thank you," she whispered. Scott nodded, and Theo looked at Liam, who glanced at him briefly.

The van pulled away, and the hunters watched with cold eyes as the pack piled into their own cars. Liam jumped in with Theo, who drove them straight to Scott's house. They said nothing as they drove, too restless and worried to focus on making small talk.

"It will be ok," Theo said quietly once they had stopped outside Scott's place.

Liam nodded, looking down at his hands. Theo was used to people looking at him like he was a monster. It had been happening his whole life. His IED meant that Liam had had a taste of it, but the way the hunters had looked at them had been entirely different.

"Come on," Theo said. They let themselves into Scott's house, going into Theo's room as they packed up his things quickly and efficiently. Most of Theo's stuff was still in his bag anyway, so it did not take them long.

Scott was talking to his dad, so they left, going straight to Liam's place to do the same thing.

"Why aren't your parents home?" Theo asked, standing in the foyer of Liam's house. It was silent, with no heartbeats to be heard apart from their own.

"Not sure," Liam shrugged. "Work, on a holiday, out, take your pick."

"What do you mean by that?" Theo asked, frowning.

"They're never here," Liam said as he walked up the stairs and into his room, Theo trailing behind. "They haven't been around much since I was diagnosed with IED." Liam scoffed, grabbing a bag and dumping it on his bed. "Hate to think how they'd react if they knew about me being a werewolf as well," he muttered.

Theo stood at the door, staring at Liam as he shoved things into his bag, pity stirring in his stomach. "I'm sorry," he said after a moment.

"Don't be," Liam said. "I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't have to be," Theo sighed, rubbing a hand along the string soothingly.

Liam zipped up his bag and turned to face him.

"It's fine. Come on, we should go meet the others." Theo nodded, moving aside to let Liam past. He glanced around Liam's room once before quietly closing the door behind him.

* * *

They stood in the Animal Hospital where they had stayed overnight. Corey had left to go get Mason and Theo leaned against the back wall, watching Liam. The others were all looking at Brett and Lori.

"So you'll let us in the pack?" Brett asked.

"You might be an asshole," Liam scowled, "but we could use your help."

"You can join," Scott said, looking at them seriously. He moved closer, standing in front of them. Scott flashed his eyes, and their eyes glowed yellow in response. "Brett and Lori, I invite you to join my pack, do you accept?"

"I accept," Lori said, tilting her head to show her throat. Scott nodded and then turned his head slightly to look at Brett.

"I accept too," Brett said. He showed his neck as well, biting his lip, looking uncomfortable.

"Welcome to the pack," Scott smiled. Theo felt two more connections flare to his life in his chest and he sighed. His insides must be a knotted mess by now.

He stared at Scott, waiting for the apha to turn and kick him out, but he never did. Instead, he moved to stand by Malia, rubbing a hand up and down her arm.

"You ok?" Liam asked in a quiet voice. Theo looked at him, shrugging, feeling more confused and tired than anything else.

"I guess so," he said.

Corey walked through the front door before Liam could say anything more, with Mason not far behind him.

"You told me you were leaving," Mason said, striding towards Corey.

"I had to," Corey said quietly.

"You lied," Mason said, his voice shaking with anger as he pushed Corey back.

"We all did," Liam said. Mason turned to look at all of them, eyes wide.

"So this was the plan all along?" Mason asked

"Sorry Mason," Scott nodded. "My dad had to believe we left Beacon Hills. Everyone has to believe it."

"Then what happens next?" Mason asked. "We fight back now, right?"

"What did you think we were gonna do?" Scott asked, a smile dancing on his lips. "Run?"


	16. Chapter 16

Liam and Theo stood separate from the rest of the group. "Scott wants me to make a distraction, something to get the hunters away from the warehouse," he said in a low voice.

"What did you have in mind?" Theo asked, frowning at him.

"We use Nolan," Liam said, malice glittering in his eyes. "We trick him and get him to follow us somewhere. If we can convince him that the whole pack is with us, then he'll call the hunters and bring them to us."

Theo nodded slowly. "That might just work. You have somewhere in mind?"

"Yeah, I do," Liam said. Theo smiled at him and Liam grinned at him. This was a good plan, it would work. "Will you help me?" Liam asked, looking earnestly at Theo.

"Of course I will," Theo replied. Liam nodded, tension easing from his shoulders. He and Theo made a good team, so it would go a lot smoother if he had the other beta's help.

"Thanks," Liam said quietly. Theo nodded, and then stilled, his eyes looking at something past him. Liam turned and saw Scott walking up to them. He did not miss the way Theo shrank in on himself. He frowned, shifting slightly as he positioned himself between the other boy and their alpha.

"What's up, Scott?" Liam asked, eyes wary. Scott's eyes flashed red, and Liam's flashed gold in response, seeing a large ball of red string held in the alpha's hands. "What are you doing?" He demanded. Behind him, Theo whimpered, and Liam suddenly felt furious, his wolf snarling.

Scott was looking at Theo over Liam's shoulder as he took out his claws and slashed the string. Liam lurched forward, catching the ball in his hands, incredible pain thrumming through him, making both him and Theo cry out. Scott gathered up the loose ends and tied them together. It healed, and the pain dulled.

Liam gasped for breath, tears dripping down his cheeks, hugging the ball to his chest.

"Now you have no choice but to protect him," Scott said.

"I would have done it anyway," Theo said quietly, resentment clear in his tone. Liam bristled with rage, shoving the ball of string at Theo before turning and grabbing the front of Scott's jacket.

"You had no right to do that," Liam snarled.

"What, Liam?" Scott said, frowning at him.

"You don't get to just fuck with our connection like that," Liam continued like he had not even spoken, fury beyond what he had ever felt before making him shake. "You might be our alpha, but if you pull a stunt like that again, I'm leaving the pack." He shoved Scott away and took Theo's hand, pushing past Scott and the rest of the dumbfounded pack. Theo followed without a word.

Liam sat next to Theo in his truck. They were parked outside of the abandoned zoo, and Liam was stroking the string between his fingers, a deep frown on his face. Theo was looking at him out of the corner of his eye, shivering slightly with each brush of Liam's fingers. There was only a few metres left of the string between them and he could feel each of Liam's emotions ringing through, clear as a bell. He was angry, furious actually, and Theo had no idea what to say.

The last time that Scott had done that had been an accident, but Liam had been asleep so it had not hurt him as much. This time, Scott had done it on purpose, and it made Theo absolutely wild that he had done it without Liam's permission.

It was one thing to threaten to hurt him. Theo really did not care, he could take it. But if he hurt Liam, all bets were off. Liam would have the final say over what happened to their connection, not Scott. It would hurt him, but Theo would walk away from Scott if it was what Liam wanted.

With a sigh, Liam dropped the string and picked up his phone.

"Did it work?" He asked as Mason picked up.

"Yep, Nolan's right behind me. Like, literally right behind me," Mason said. "He's driving a bright red car. He's actually terrible at this."

"Okay, just be careful," Liam replied. Mason replied in the affirmative and hung up the phone. "He'll be here soon."

They got out of the car just as Mason pulled up behind them. Theo went around to the boot of the car and opened it, pulling out a couple sleeping bags.

"Hey, how close is he?" Liam asked, standing at the window and peering in at Mason.

"He's back down the road. Don't look," Mason said. Theo glanced over and saw Nolan parked a bit further down. He walked over the window as well.

"Should I come with you guys?" Mason asked.

"His friends shoot to kill," Theo pointed out. Mason was just a human, and Corey would kill them if anything happened to his boyfriend. The loud argument that he and Scott had over whether or not to let Mason in on them not leaving had been long, loud and very annoying. "Go home."

"Yeah, Lydia would kill me if anything happened to her car anyways, so," Mason sighed.

"Don't worry about it, Nolan's gonna do the rest," Liam said. Liam helped Theo with the rest of the supplies. Once they were done, Mason drove off, and they walked into the zoo, choosing a high vantage point where they could just make out Nolan in his car, speaking on the phone.

"He's falling for it," Liam muttered. Theo perched behind him, looking over Liam's shoulder.

"Hopefully Gerard does as well. Just because we fooled one punk-ass teenager doesn't mean we'll fool an experienced hunter," Theo said quietly. Liam turned around with a sigh, leaning against the wall while Theo continued to keep watch.

"Are you ever gonna talk about it?" Liam asked after a moment.

"Talk about what exactly?" Theo replied, glancing into his eyes and getting stuck. Liam looked so concerned.

"Why you reacted like that to Scott? Why Scott didn't know you were missing straight away? Did something happen between you two?" Liam pressed.

"Something happened when you were asleep in Scott's bed," Theo said, dropping his gaze and playing with the string nervously. "He tripped over the string, and he cut it. That's how he found out about it."

"You mean, today wasn't the first time that's happened?" Liam asked, looking shocked.

"Yeah, I mean it was an accident, he didn't know," Theo explained, biting his lip. "But then he looked into it, asked Deaton maybe, and he found out that there's a way that you can cut it, like for real." Anxiety thrummed through him and Liam reached forward to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why would he want to do that?" Liam asked, looking confused. "That's stupid. Without it, we might never have found you."

"Yeah well, did you ever think that maybe Scott doesn't want me anywhere near you? Think about all the bad stuff I've done, Liam," Theo growled.

"That's in the past," Liam interjected.

"It wasn't even six months ago," Theo said, finally looking up to meet Liam's gaze again. "I manipulated all of you and you nearly killed your alpha. I actually did kill him. I killed the rest of my pack and stole their powers. I'm not a good person, Liam."

"You're different now," Liam said emphatically, shaking him. "Even a blind person could see how you're trying to change, to be better."

"That's only because of you," Theo sighed, holding up the string. "Any good in me has literally come from you. You're so good, Liam, you don't even have to think about it. I'm not like that, I just ruin everything. Ever since I came back I keep finding myself doing all this stupid shit, and it's because of this string that ties me to you."

"No," Liam said. "That's bullshit. That's just a cop-out, Theo. Deep down you're a good person, you've just never had the chance to show it before." Certainty flooded down their connection, and Theo reeled back, surprised by the amount of faith the other boy had in him. "Scott was wrong, you don't need any incentive to help me. You agreed before he shortened the string, remember?"

Theo stared at Liam, his heart thudding in his chest, his eyes wide. Slowly, he nodded, and Liam smiled, squeezing his shoulder before dropping it.

A door slammed, and Liam whirled around as they both looked down to see two men getting out of a black SUV.

"Where are they?"

"Inside the zoo. They're all here," Nolan said, getting out of his car to meet them. "It's not just the two of you, is it?"

"What do you mean, "just?" It's not just a pack, okay? There's an Alpha and a Banshee. They're all here," Nolan said, sounding panicked. Theo curled his lip, enjoying the smell of Nolan's fear as it swirled through the air, reaching them. His fingers itched, remembering the feeling of being wrapped around Nolan's throat and squeezing down.

"I don't see all of them," the other man said. "I don't see anyone."

"I saw Theo and Liam bringing a car full of food and supplies right here. There were at least six sleeping bags, okay? They're here, they're all here!"

"It's just Nolan and two other guys," Liam muttered. "This isn't gonna work."

"Where's the backup? I mean, shouldn't there be, like, 20 of them?" Theo asked.

"I mean, they only saw us, and they're not gonna believe Nolan," Liam said, sounding frustrated.

"Okay," Theo said, his mind racing. "Then they have to believe us." He got to his feet. "Isn't that right?" He yelled.

"Why are you yelling?" Liam whispered frantically.

"You got a problem? Oh, that's right, you always have a problem," Theo yelled again.

"What the hell are you doing?" Liam said.

"Shut up!" Theo snarled. Liam reeled back, looking offended, and Theo rolled his eyes. Liam stood up and Theo shot forwards, punching him in the face and sending him flying to the ground with a loud grunt. "Yeah, you see that, Scott? Little Beta can't even take a punch. And what do you think, Malia?"

Theo could see the men whispering together as Liam slowly got to his feet. "What, you think he can take me?"

"Okay, I get it," Liam groaned, getting to his feet, "but did you actually have to punch me?" Theo smirked and punched him again.

"Told you they're here," Nolan could be heard saying. Theo dodged Liam's fist and smiled grimly.

"You sure that's all of 'em?" One of the men asked.

Liam yelled in pain as Theo sent him flying again. "See what I mean, Scott? He's only good in a fight when he's angry. So let's see just how angry he gets."

Liam growled, eyes glowing and claws extended as he flew at Theo, less preoccupied with putting on a good show and more with taking out his anger on the other wolf. As always, Liam's strength amazed Theo. He was fast and absurdly strong, and Theo panted as his nose reset for the second time, wiping at the blood streaming down his face.

"Are you done? Or should we keep going?" Liam asked, gasping for breath, clutching at his stomach.

Theo glanced over his shoulder. "We gotta call for backup," one of them men said in a low voice, pulling out their phone.

"I think they're sold," Theo said quietly.

"You ripped my t-shirt," Liam muttered.

"Yeah, you broke my nose." Theo said with a grimace. "Twice. It healed, you broke it again. Two times!"

Liam shrugged, not looking particularly sorry. A gleam of mischief in the other boy's eyes was Theo's only warning as Liam lunged forwards and broke his nose again. "Three times," he gloated. Theo groaned in pain, clutching at his nose as it healed.

Liam crouched down next to him, watching the men. Theo wiped his now-healed nose on his shirt, cleaning up the dried blood. He sighed, letting his head thud back against the wall behind him. The other boy seemed to be a bit calmer after getting some of his frustration out, but he was still fidgety.

They ran around the zoo, trying to keep an eye on all of the entrances and checking in every now and again. They could not get too far away anyway, both of them straining against the string to get a little further away. Theo cursed Scott under his breath as he was violently pulled back towards Liam, his shoulder jamming against a wall.

"What's wrong?" Theo asked.

"There's still three of them, and it's been half an hour," Liam said with a low growl.

"Don't blame me, you're the one that picked the abandoned zoo," Theo said, staring at Liam. "The hell we doing in this place anyway?"

"Because it's like Mykonos," Liam said earnestly.

"Like what?" Theo frowned.

"The Greek island. In the city they built these long, narrow, winding streets that all meet up with each other. Invaders would get lost in them like they were in a maze trying to figure out which way to go," Liam explained. Theo raised an eyebrow at him. "What? I like history."

"I'm impressed," Theo said, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. "It's a good idea." Who knew Liam could have good ideas?

"Yeah, only if invaders actually show up," Liam muttered.

He was interrupted by the squeal of tires as more black SUV's pulled up. "I think they just showed up," Theo said nervously. They peered through the grate, seeing at least a dozen armed men get out of the cars, including Gerard and Monroe.

Theo turned to walk away, but Liam stayed still, shoulders tense as he stared out at the hunters. "Hey, let's go," Theo said. "We're supposed to be decoys, not target practice. You still working on that anger?"

"I'm fine," Liam said in a low voice.

"Well, you can be angry at Nolan and stay alive," Theo said, grabbing Liam by the shoulder. "Come on." Liam shrugged him off. "Fine, get caught." He went as far away as he could, leaning against the wall with a bitter chuckle. Even if Scott had made it physically impossible for him to leave Liam behind, he still would not be able to. The thought of Liam at the mercy of the hunters made him feel sick to his stomach. He waited a few minutes for Liam to calm down and then went to go find him.

He found Liam in a different place now, peering around a wall at Nolan who was creeping around, now holding a large crossbow.

"If you keep looking, he's gonna see you," Theo said quietly, brushing his shoulder against Liam's. "Get back." He inclined his head back the way he had come, but Liam set his jaw stubbornly and turned back to glare at Nolan. Theo grit his teeth. "I'm not dying out here because you want payback against some kid who kicked your ass, okay?" He grabbed Liam's hand, hauling him away.

"Let go," Liam growled.

"Calm down!" Theo yelled.

"I said let go," Liam repeated, eyes flashing yellow.

"What's going on with you?" Theo snapped. "This can't just be Nolan. Something around here is triggering you."

"I'm fine," Liam ground out.

"What is it? The hunters? You don't like cages, scared of heights? Is it because of what Scott did?" Theo pressed.

"I said I'm fine," Liam insisted. Then Nolan was there, and his crossbow was pointed right at Liam. Theo's heart jumped into his throat.

"They're up here," Nolan yelled. Liam roared his anger and charged at him, sending them both flying over the edge. Theo dashed forwards, staring down at Liam and Nolan.

Liam snarled, teeth bared, eyes yellow as he stared at Nolan. The other boy still had the crossbow pointed at Liam. Theo cursed as he looked for the path down to them, scrambling down it, praying that he would get there in time.

"She wants me to kill you," Nolan said. "She'll kill me if I don't." Liam batted the crossbow aside as if it was a toy, roaring in Nolan's face as he punched the wall beside his head again and again and again. Theo lunged forwards as Liam opened up his fist, his claws extended, punching the back of Liam's head and catching him as he slumped the ground.

Nolan stared at him, panting for breath, terrified.

"Run," Theo crooned, flashing his eyes.

Nolan dashed away, and Theo looked down at Liam, squatting down as he examined Liam's hand. It was nowhere near as bad as the damage that Theo had done to his own hand, but it still looked painful. With a sigh, he slipped his arms underneath Liam's body and hauled him up, holding him close to his chest.

He could hear hunters moving through the zoo, and he cursed under his breath as he dodged around them, Liam a deadweight in his arms. Every now and again he had to knock Liam out again as he stirred. Theo needed to focus on getting them both out of here alive, which was far easier to do when Liam was unconscious and unable to argue with him.

After a lot of circling around and backtracking he finally made it back to his truck. He rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the hunters not even placing a sentry at their vehicle. Shoving Liam inside, he wasted no time as he jumped into the truck and started it, taking off down the road with a squeal of rubber burning.

He had been driving for a few minutes when Liam groaned, clutching his head.

"I had to knock you out," Theo said quietly.

"Yeah, how many times?" Liam grumbled.

"Five," Theo smirked, glancing at Liam and then back at the road.

Liam sighed. "I almost killed him, didn't I?"

"Almost," Theo admitted, "but you broke your hands trying not to."

"I guess that's something," Liam scoffed.

"Next time you come up with a plan like this, pick a place that doesn't trigger a murderous rage," Theo said helpfully. Liam looked at him, biting his lip.

"I didn't know this was gonna happen," he said.

"Whether you meant it or not, you picked the spot," Theo said, looking at Liam. "You made the plan. You wanted me to help."

"If I needed your help for anything, it'll be so I get angry enough to kill you myself," Liam muttered.

"You brought me here because that thing that came out of the Wild Hunt is affecting you, too," Theo sighed. "You need to figure this out before you completely lose it."

"The Anuk-ite causes fear, it doesn't cause anger," Liam growled.

Theo shook his head. "People only feel one emotion at a time, Liam, which is why you get angry when you're afraid. That's why you almost tore Nolan's head off."

"If the Anuk-ite can do this to me, what do you think it's doing to everyone else?" Liam asked, frowning.

"We all feel it," Theo admitted, clenching his fingers around the steering wheel. "It's affecting all of us."

"Including Scott," Liam muttered, winding red string around and around his fingers.

"Especially Scott," Theo nodded, thinking back to the alpha sprinting through the forest in his dream.

"I won't let him do it," Liam said after a moment, looking down at his hands.

"Do what?" Theo asked.

"Cut it. I mean, I don't understand it, and I know there's something you're all not telling me, but I can tell it's important," Liam said in a low voice.

Theo bit his lip, his heart racing in his chest. Here was the perfect opportunity to come clean, to explain it all to Liam. He took a deep, shaky breath, steadying himself.

And Liam's phone rang. He looked away from Theo reluctantly and pulled his phone out of his pocket, answering it. "Yeah?"

"Come to my house," Scott said. "We found something."

"We'll be right there," Liam said, before hanging up the phone and putting it back in his pocket.

Theo cursed as Liam looked back at him expectantly.

"Later," he muttered, turning the wheel and changing direction as he drove towards Scott's house.

"I'll hold you to that," Liam grumbled, sinking into his seat.

Theo waited in the living room of Scott's house. Scott and Malia were upstairs in the bathroom, and Liam was poking around in Scott's room, claiming that he needed to grab something from there. Theo sighed, warily eyeing off everyone else in the room.

Melissa, Argent, Lydia and Mason studied a huge map that they had stolen from the armoury, whispering as they speculated what the markers were on it. Theo ignored it, too busy listening out for Liam and pretending not to notice the way Brett was staring at him from the other side of the room.

Liam walked into the room and slotted in next to him, nervously playing with something in his pocket.

"What kept you?" Theo asked quietly.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Liam muttered, pulling his hand out of his pocket and crossing his arms defensively. Theo rubbed a finger along the string thoughtfully. Liam was feeling... triumphant? A little smug? What had he taken from Scott's room?

"Stop it," Liam said, slapping his hand down. Theo tilted his head, staring at him, but Liam studiously ignored him.

Rafael walked in, startling them all as he slammed the door shut behind him. "Where's Scott?" He demanded.

"Upstairs, why?" Melissa asked. Theo sauntered over to stand by Melissa in a silent show of support. She glanced at him and smiled, before looking back at her ex-husband.

"He can't leave, no one can," Rafael said.

"Nice to see that you changed your mind, but I'm afraid to ask why," Melissa said.

"It's Gerard's weapons," Rafael said, frowning.

"Dad?" Scott said, walking into the room, hand in hand with Malia.

"The guns, they've all been distributed legally to the citizens of Beacon Hills. All of them, and at no charge," he replied.

Theo glanced at Lydia, who was looking at the window, her eyes wide.

"What? He just gave them away?" Scott asked incredulously.

"No," Argent said slowly. "He's arming his army."

Lydia jolted, and Theo reacted instinctively, even as the banshee yelled for everyone to get down, pulling Melissa to the ground and shielding her with his body as glass shattered around them, bullets raining through the windows and ricocheting through the room.

He grunted as several bullets hit him, eyes wide as he stared down at Melissa, terrified. Her face was screwed up in pain, blood leaking from a bullet hole in her arm.

Panic roared through him, and his hands shook violently as he reached down, hand on her cheek, leaching away her pain.

"Mum," Scott yelled, scrambling towards them, pulling Melissa out from underneath Theo and into his lap, stroking her hair.

Theo sat back, eyes locked to the blood smeared along the ground, blind and deaf to everything else around him. Melissa had let him into her home, she had cared for him, had tended to his wounds, had defended him. She was important, the first adult Theo could ever remember giving a shit about him.

Distantly, he could feel someone touching his face, calling his name, but it was like he was underwater, unable to make out anything. His chest constricted, black crawling in around the edges, but still all he could see was blood.


	17. Chapter 17

Liam ran a hand over Theo's cheek frantically. "He's not healing," he said to Scott, eyes wide as panic fluttered in his chest. Theo was bleeding from four or five wounds, scattered across his chest, blood flowing from them and pooling at his feet.

Theo was hyperventilating, eyes distant as he stared down at the blood. Liam tried calling his name but there was no response.

"What do I do?" He yelled. How many times was this going to happen? How many times would he have to nearly lose Theo in this fucking kitchen?

"I don't know," Scott admitted, his own hands smoothing through Melissa's hair helplessly. Liam looked away from him and down at Theo. He tilted Theo's head up and Theo stared through him, eyes unfocused.

"Theo, please snap out of it," Liam begged. "You need to heal yourself." Theo went limp in his hold, slumping forwards slightly, as if he could no longer hold himself up.

"Kiss him," Lydia said firmly.

"What the fuck, Lydia?" Liam growled. "I'm not kissing him."

"He's your soulmate, you moron," she snapped. "What did you think the red string was?"

"Wait, you can see it?" Liam asked, frowning, his heart racing a million miles an hour as Liam's brain finally made the connection. He had read something in a history book, years ago, something about Japan and how they believed that soulmates were joined by a red string wrapped around their ring fingers.

"Of course I can see it," Lydia said, rolling her eyes. "I'm a banshee. I have visions of death all the time. I knew as soon as you pulled Theo out of the ground. I felt it. So kiss him, it'll work, trust me."

Liam looked at Theo, uncertainty filling him. He had never really thought about Theo that way before. He had been an enemy and then a reluctant ally, and had slowly been becoming something that vaguely approached a friend, but soulmate? Is this what Theo had been going to say in the car? Did Theo want to be his soulmate? Or did he want to break the connection so he could find someone else? Confusion rumbled through him, making him feel angry. Stupid Theo and his stupid face.

With a growl, he shook Theo. There was no way he was letting Theo bleed and out and die, not until he had some answers.

"Snap out of it, Raeken," he snarled.

"Liam," Scott said in a low voice.

"Back off," Liam said, eyes flashing gold as he glanced up at his alpha and then down at the boy in his arms.

Liam reared back his fist and punched Theo in the face, feeling his nose break under his knuckles for a fourth time. Theo groaned, his hands darting up to his nose. He blinked a few times, eyes watering as he looked at Liam with confusion.

"Heal yourself, asshole," Liam snapped, and then he was up and out the door, shaking with pent-up emotion as he sat on the curb and called an ambulance.

By the time everyone was bundled into the ambulance and on their way to the hospital, Theo had managed to shower and change into something that was not covered in blood. He had healed quickly, but the image of the blood swirling down the drain still had him shuddering.

Bundling up the clothes he had been wearing, now ruined, he came down the stairs to find that everyone had left, either going to the hospital or going home. Idly, Theo wondered where Brett and Lori had gone, but realised he did not really care all that much. As long as Brett was nowhere near him or Liam, it did not matter.

Theo stood at the door to the lounge room, eyes tracking over the devastation of blood and shattered glass that littered the room. His shoes crunched as he stepped over it, gently rolling up the map on the table and putting it out of harm's way.

Bile rose in his stomach as he walked past the large puddles of blood on the floor, and he ran into the kitchen, swaying as he tried to calm his stomach, clenching his eyes shut as sweat rolled down his skin.

"Keep it together, Raeken," he whispered.

His phone beeped in his pocket, and Theo pulled it out. Scott had messaged him, telling him that Melissa would be fine.

Some of the tension left his body at the news, but it was not something that Theo would be forgetting about anytime soon. Melissa had nearly died, and he had been powerless to stop it from happening. With his new werewolf powers, this was not a feeling that he was accustomed to.

He ran a finger down the string, feeling confusion and anguish vibrate across their connection. He could tell that Liam was not far away, his soulmate's emotions echoing his own. With a sigh, he made his way outside, dumping his ruined clothes in the bin. He gulped in fresh air, allowing the smell of the blood to fade into the night.

Once he felt a bit calmer, he turned towards the road, eyes trailing along the red string that zig-zagged across Scott's yard and towards his truck.

"Do you want to come inside?" Theo asked in a low voice.

"Not really," Liam muttered from where he was sprawled in the back of Theo's truck. Theo ambled over, leaning against the edge of it as he looked down at Liam. Liam was lying on his back, his arms crossed behind his head. Tear tracks ran down his cheeks, and his eyes were red and swollen. Theo sighed as his fingers itched, longing to pull Liam close and comfort him.

"Would you rather we go to your place?" Theo asked eventually.

"No," Liam sighed. He stared up at the sky, a stubborn look on his face.

"Alright," Theo said with a shrug, pulling away.. "I'm gonna clean up. Melissa shouldn't have to come home to that shit."

"Wait," Liam said, sitting up abruptly. "I'll help."

They were both silent as they started to clear the McCall's house. Theo was sweeping up glass; he had taken one look at the blood and turned pale. Liam had snatched the mop from his hands and Theo had smiled at him gratefully as he went and got the broom. He walked outside, dumping another bag of shattered glass in the rubbish bin, returning to find Liam standing still, hands twisting around the handle of the mop as he scowled.

"Liam?" Theo said quietly.

"Lydia told me," Liam replied, keeping his back turned, his eyes downcast.

"Told you what?"

"About the red string, what it really means," Liam whispered.

"Oh, that," Theo mumbled. Here it was. The truth was finally out in the open. Liam knew. Theo gripped his shirt, feeling his heart jackhammering beneath his skin. He felt sick, his stomach churning as anxiety thrummed through him.

"Yeah, that," Liam snapped, whirling around. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, tangling his hands through the string, making Theo step closer.

"I kept trying to," Theo said, his chest aching. "I just couldn't get the words out."

"Didn't you think I had a right to know?" Liam demanded.

"Of course I did," Theo growled, feeling anger rising in his chest. "It's not that easy."

"You should have said something," Liam yelled.

"Like what?" Theo yelled back. "Hey Liam, guess what? You brought me back from hell and now you're fucking stuck with me for the rest of your life? Isn't that awesome?"

"Well, it would have been a start," Liam said angrily, throwing the mop down and stalking to the door.

"Don't act like this is on me," Theo hissed, seeing red. "You're the one who dragged me out of hell. You're the one who caused all of this."

"You didn't seem to mind at the time," Liam bit out, eyes blazing yellow as he finally turned and looked at Theo. His anger made Theo's disappear, and he sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"I didn't, I don't, I guess I've had more time to come to terms with it than you. I don't blame you for not wanting to be tied to me," he said with a shrug, turning away.

"I don't-" Liam said, before cutting himself off with a growl, frustration seeping from every pore. "I don't know what I want."

Theo ran a hand over the string, trying to figure out what Liam was feeling.

"God, fucking stop that," Liam snapped. "I can't think." Theo held up his hands in surrender, dropping the string, letting it pool at his feet between the two of them. Liam stared down at it, his brow furrowed in thought.

"So, it appeared when I brought you back?" He asked after a minute.

"Yeah," Theo confirmed, tilting his head as he wondered where Liam was going with that particular line of questioning.

"I wonder if it was always there, or if it appeared afterwards," Liam mused.

"Does it matter?" Theo asked, rolling his eyes.

"I guess not," Liam shrugged, taking a step back into the room. He sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I don't know if I can deal with this right now, Theo," Liam admitted. "Not on top of everything else, the hunters, the anuk-ite, everyone in hospital. All I can think about is hunting down who did this and making them pay."

"Then let's do it," Theo said. "It doesn't seem like this," he held up the red string, "is going anywhere anytime soon. One thing at a time."

"Yeah," Liam said, nodding, relief clear in his eyes "one thing at a time."

They finished clearing up the mess as best they could, working silently. Theo's mind raced as he wondered what Liam was thinking, what he thought about being his soulmate. What if he agreed with Scott? What if he decided he wanted to break their bond?

He would leave, he decided suddenly. If Scott broke their bond, if it was what Liam wanted, Theo would not be able to stay. He would not be able to stand being in this pack and being near Liam every single fucking day if he could not be with him.

Theo stared down at the last of the glass, a sinking feeling in his chest. His emotions burned through him, so clear that it was a wonder that Liam could not feel them.

Fuck, Theo realised, fucking Talbot was right, I do have it bad.


	18. Chapter 18

Trying, and failing to act normal had always been Liam's thing. Something his mother and stepfather taught him as a way of making sure he felt like every other little boy that did not have a prescription for anti psychotics unused in the medicine cabinet.

After every explosive episode, his mother would tend to him, run her hands gently over his face until he relaxed and then life would go on. He had found a similar thing in Scott, no matter how out of control he felt, Scott still treated him the same way he always had. He found that people never really knew what to do with him when he carried on, business as usual.

But after the shooting at Scott's house and the realisation that the red string was tying him to more than just another beta bitten by the same alpha, but his soulmate, and Lydia saying he should kiss Theo? He felt angry, like ants were crawling under his skin. He needed answers, he needed to hold someone accountable.

He stalked through the school, spotting Gabe chatting to a girl in the hallway. He did not see him coming until it was far too late, letting out a strangled cry as Liam grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him into the locker room.

"I don't know anything. I swear. I don't know what happened at Scott's house," Gabe said from where he lay on the floor, arms held up as if his weak human muscles would be able to fend him off.

Liam grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him up, growling in his face. "Did you know who was there? Did you know Mason was in there?"

"No, I didn't know anything. I don't know anything," Gabe stammered. Liam turned him around and shoved him against the mirror, holding his head against the glass with one hand. Gabe cried out in pain and Liam leaned closer.

"Maybe you haven't noticed lately, but I've been having trouble controlling my anger. When things happen to my friends, I just can't seem to help it," Liam snarled.

"No, Liam, wait, please," Gabe pleaded.

Liam took a shaky breath, his anger roaring through him. He could smell Gabe's guilt. He knew the other boy had been involved. Could hear the flutter in his heartbeat as he lied again and again. "I just get so angry," he roared. The mirror cracked and Gabe groaned in pain.

"Stop, Liam, please," Gabe whimpered.

"You think I'm going to kill you? You think we're all killers? Maybe we should be," Liam said, watching the blood trail down the shattered mirror with a feral fascination that was all wolf.

He heard footsteps behind him, and then Theo was there, gazing at him in the fractured glass. His scent swirled through the room, instantly making him feel more settled. Liam stared at his reflection, brow furrowed. It was like his body had accepted Theo, even if his mind had not yet caught up.

Liam had messaged him saying that he was going to the high school to find Gabe. Theo rushed around his room, getting ready at the speed of light and then driven straight to the school as well. Liam was a loose cannon at the moment, and all he needed was a spark. Theo needed to be there to stop him before he could do something he would regret.

The red string lead him to the locker room, and he hovered at the door, a tiny hint of satisfaction thrumming through him as he watched Gabe's blood run down the cracked mirror. This asshole had hurt Liam, had possibly also hurt Melissa. Theo wanted to see him suffer. He saw Liam spot him in the mirror, his shoulders easing slightly.

But Liam would not be able to handle taking a life. He needed Theo to talk him down.

"You're really gonna kill him? I mean, I don't care if you do. But, have you thought this through? Any idea where you're gonna dump the body? But nobody saw you grab him, did they? 'Cause that could be a problem," Theo mused, a smirk dancing on his lips. Gabe's fear was delicious, making the wolf inside him bare his teeth in a wolfy grin.

"I don't care," Liam muttered.

"I don't care either. But at least let me help. I'm the one with experience here. If we kill him, we'll have to find the witnesses and kill them, too. Which means we're gonna need shovels, some plastic bags, maybe a chainsaw," Theo said in a low, taunting voice, more for Gabe's benefit than Liam's. Liam was not so out of control that he would really hurt Gabe, but there was no harm in scaring the shit out of him.

Liam exhaled angrily as he released Gabe, letting him fall to the floor at Liam's feet. "You made your point."

"And you didn't kill him. That's progress," Theo shrugged, pushing down a vague sense of disappointment that Gabe was still alive. His wolf did not forgive or forget easily, and there would be a reckoning for Liam, for Melissa, and Mason and Lydia, eventually.

"Why do you keep trying to save me?" Liam growled.

"You know why," Theo said, eyes dark as he rubbed the string through his fingers. Liam shuddered, his gaze dropping. "You were never going to kill him," he said after a moment.

"You don't know that," Liam said. He smelt of anger and frustration and Theo sighed.

"Yeah, I do, because that's Scott's goal, remember? Keep people alive," Theo said.

"He should try harder," Gabe muttered weakly from where he lay on the floor.

"What are you talking about?" Liam said, whirling around to glare down at Gabe.

"You don't know, do you?" Gabe said, sitting up with a grimace of pain. Liam turned and glanced at Theo, who stalked closer.

"Know what?" He demanded. Gabe's eyes darted around nervously, and Theo bared his teeth as he pushed past Liam and grabbed Gabe, shoving him against the mirror once more with a loud grunt.

"About the other bodies," Gabe cried out.

"What other bodies?" Liam pressed.

"I'll show you," Gabe said, panic and fear swirling around him. Theo watched him with hard eyes, before relenting, stepping back and pulling Gabe upright.

"I wouldn't bother trying to run," Theo said in a low voice. "You won't get far."

Gabe lead them into the lower levels of the school. Inside a small room there was a large fridge container. Gabe lifted the lid, showing three horrifying mutilated corpses. Blood pooled around their missing eyes and ripped from their mouths, gaping open. They had clearly died agonisingly painful deaths. Theo wrinkled up his nose as the sickly sweet scent of fear assaulted his nose.

"Does the teacher know about this?" Theo asked.

"That's the teacher," Gabe said, indicating the one closest to them.

"Unless there's a gun in there, too, this isn't helping us find the shooter," Liam said angrily.

"Why'd you hide these bodies?" Theo asked, watching Gabe for every minute reaction.

"We didn't wanna get caught," Gabe admitted.

"Caught doing what?" Theo pressed.

"Testing them. To see if they were werewolves. And they were," Gabe said.

"Just like you tested Corey?" Liam said, anger spiking once more. Theo placed a hand on his arm, reassuring him.

"But we didn't kill them. Look at their faces. Something else did that," Gabe shook his head.

"The Anuk-ite," Theo breathed.

"The what?" Gabe asked, looking confused.

Liam and Theo ignored him. "Why would it want to kill anyone? It feeds off fear. Dead people aren't afraid," Liam said in a low voice, looking at Theo.

"Maybe the killing is just a by-product," Theo responded.

"Of what?" Liam asked.

"Of it looking for its other half. Which means it's looking for a supernatural creature. Someone like us," Theo said, eyes widening.

"So these three could have been werewolves, just not the ones that the Anuk-ite's were looking for," Liam said, nodding slowly."

"Which means you've been helping it. Idio," Theo snapped, glaring at Gabe once more as he slammed down the lid..

"I don't even know what you guys are talking about. I was just helping Aaron. It was his idea to test everyone," Gabe said.

"Who's Aaron?" Theo asked.

"He's on the lacrosse team. He's just a freshman," Liam explained. They made the connection at the same time. "Aaron didn't want to find more of us. He wanted to find his other half."

"He's the Anuk-ite," Theo growled.

Liam let Gabe leave and sent a text to Scott. He turned up with Malia in tow a few minutes later. They looked into the fridge container before slamming it shut.

"It's a bad day for finding bodies," Malia grumbled.

"There's gonna be a lot more if we don't find Aaron's other half," Liam said.

"Which we know nothing about," Theo admitted.

"We do know one thing," Scott said emphatically, "we know it's a werewolf."

"We need to find this other werewolf right now," Liam said.

"Preferably before they merge," Theo pointed out helpfully.

"What happens if they merge?" Malia asked with a frown.

"I don't know, but I got a feeling that it's not going to be good," Scott said, turning to look at her.

"Any chance you got to put together that army, Scott?" Liam asked.

"You're looking at it," Malia shrugged.

A voice at the door made them all turn, startled. "Let's hope this thing doesn't feed off desperation, because this room reeks of it.," Peter snapped. He was filthy, and held a steering wheel in one hand.

"What happened?" Scott asked.

"The hunters destroyed my perfect automobile," Peter pouted. "So, if this thing had anything to do with it, I'd like to see its demise is appropriately painful." He slammed the wheel down on a nearby desk.

"I thought you had two cars?" Malia asked.

Peter dropped a key on the floor. "There's going to be hell to pay," Peter muttered. Theo flinched at that, and Liam glanced at him. Theo shook his head slightly and Liam sighed and looked back at Scott as they planned their next move.

Theo watched them from where he leaned against the wall, frustration filling his entire body. They had a whole town out to get them, the same people than only a few months ago they had all saved, and they did not have enough fighters to protect themselves. Jiang and Tierney were dead, Brett and Lori were lying low, half of Scott's pack was scattered across the world and potential allies ended up dead before they could even recruit them.

He scowled, looking down at his hands, which were wrapped firmly with red string, the only thing keeping him grounded. As each day passed the fear grew stronger, the Anuk-ite grew stronger, and Theo had no idea what to do. How could he possibly protect Liam against a threat they could not even find?


	19. Chapter 19

The female voice from the outdated phone bounced around the admin area of the animal clinic, lit only by a desk lamp and the street light outside the building. It had taken them way longer than expected to be able to get into the voice messages, flip phones having gone out long before any of the teens in the room were old enough. But once they figured it out, the boys gathered around to listen to the message.

"Hey, it's me again. I, uh, don't know why you can't seem to call me back. Maybe it's because you think you're punishing me. But this is too long. It's too much. And it's not about us. Something's happening in Beacon Hills, to the people here. I just," the female voice on the phone exhaled loudly.

"I just, I need to know everyone there with you is okay, so can you just, please, call me, please? One call, that's all I'm asking for, and if you can't call me back, then I'm going to get my answer, anyway. That means I'm coming up there myself. If I don't get a call from you, I'm coming up there. So just try," the voice sighed, rushing through her words.

"Try to remember, it's my pack, too."

Scott shut the phone with a snap, looking to the other boys for any ideas for their next move.

"You pulled this off one of the bodies in the woods?" Theo spoke first, turning from the door of the clinic.

"Malia did." Liam twisted the string around his hands, something that Theo noted was quickly becoming a habit.

"Yeah, there were six dead bodies, and one of them had no face," Scott explained.

"Okay," Theo moved towards the counter, brain clearly ticking over, "so the one with no face, you think that was the woman on the phone?"

"Maybe," Scott said, fiddling with the phone in his hands.

"It's the same thing that happened to Aaron," Mason said, glancing between Liam and Scott. "It took over his body, basically stole his face and his DNA. So that means whoever this woman is, she could be the other half of the Anuk-Ite." He moved to stand against the front counter, next to Theo.

"Which means she's just half of the problem. The other half we already know about, Aaron," Theo said, leaning forward on the counter.

"We don't know where he is, though," Liam replied, moving closer to Scott, wrapping more of the string around his hands and looking nervous. Theo could smell the anxiety coming off Liam in waves. His own wolf was skittish in response, and he dropped his hands below the table so that he could twirl the string slowly through his fingers, stroking it. He tilted his head to the side as he considered the issue at hand.

"Okay, hold on," Theo exclaimed, looking between Liam and Scott. "Aren't we supposed to keep both halves apart? If we know about one half, let's just go for that one, that's Aaron."

"I'm not agreeing with Theo, but I do think it'd be easier to track down Aaron over a voice on a phone," Mason said slowly, moving again to stand next to Theo so they stood opposite the alpha and his second.

Theo looked up at Liam, who was shoving the hand wrapped in string into his front pocket. Theo knew that Liam was doing everything in his power to not let their connection come into his decision making.

"That's agreeing with Theo," Liam said slowly, Theo could feel through their connection that Liam was still rubbing his fingers on the string in his pocket, drawing comfort from it. Theo watched him intently, looking to see how he would react to his best friend siding with him.

"Yeah. But I thought I'd try to soften the blow a bit," Mason said with a shrug and a small laugh.

Theo felt his heart rate start to rise in anger. He was so done with being dragged all over this town, only to still be held at arm's length on the fringes of the pack.

"Is everyone completely shocked that I might be right?" He snapped, looking straight at Liam.

"No, we just don't like it," Liam spat back, moving to stand on the other side of his alpha with his back to Theo.

"Maybe we're all right, maybe we should be looking for both, Aaron and the woman on the phone," Scott said diplomatically, stepping forward, "I mean, since you guys agree–"

"Wait, you mean, me and–" Mason raised his eyebrows and jerked his head towards Theo.

"Him?" Theo finished.

"Yeah. You two find Aaron. Liam and I will try to figure out whose voice is on the phone," Scott nodded, clearly pleased with his plan. Behind him, Liam had picked up the phone and was holding it gingerly with both hands.

"If we find either half, maybe we don't have to fight at all. Stop the Anuk-Ite-"

"Stop the war," Scott said firmly.

Mason had bitched at him the entire way to the closest entry to the tunnels, how he didn't care if he was connected to his best friend, but pigs would fly before Mason ever trusted him. Theo was all kinds of done with the kid by the time they had dropped into the tunnels, and was barely holding on from wolfing out when he snapped.

"I don't even know why you're here, you're just going to slow me down."

"That's a pretty egotistical thing to say, don't you think? You'd never be able to find Aaron on your own, you're not smart enough," Mason said snidely.

Theo was a lot of things, but dumb had never been one of them. While his GPA had taken a tumble, there was a good chance he could save it if he chose to.

Theo turned slowly to stare Mason down, enjoying the way the other boy stepped back on instinct.

"So if you found him, what were you gonna do? Beat him up with your AP Calculus book?" Theo said slowly, rolling the joints in his neck.

"I can be resourceful," Mason drawled, playing at confidence when he lifted his metal bat. With a smirk, Theo quickly knocked the bat out of his hands, letting it clang on the metal floor. "Was that necessary?!"

Theo rolled his eyes as Mason picked up the bat, beginning to head deeper in the tunnels.

"Okay, so you're the smart one. Why are we down here? Shouldn't we be looking around the school, or somewhere with better lighting?" Theo asked. Since he'd returned from hell, Theo had avoided these tunnels. Already the dank underground was bringing back so many memories of his time with the Dread Doctors, memories that felt as though they were weighing on his shoulders.

"Aaron hasn't been in class in days," Mason explained, "the last sighting of the Faceless was in the tunnels. Parrish burned the body, but, you know, none of us have ever been back down here to check."

"Why not?" Theo asked, already knowing the answer. Mason stopped in front of him and looked down at his bat.

"Because we're scared. We're all scared to come back down here. You feel it, right? It's like it doesn't want us here."

Theo could feel it, like before the Dread Doctors, every Spring he lived in fear of the next asthma attack. And then after he had been taken, constantly worrying about his condition and if he would end up like the others. He remembers Mason down here, all the times he was brought in, and that was what scared him the most. Theo used the surge of jealousy, that Mason did not remember his time with the Dread Doctors, to push down the fear.

"That makes two of us," Theo said pushing past Mason, trying hopelessly to focus on a scent but getting nothing.

"You're afraid. That's the exact reason why we should be looking down here." Mason said quietly. "I feel it, too."

He followed Mason deeper into the tunnels until they come to a fork in the path, they stopped and looked between them and Mason sighed.

"Okay. Nice and bright, dark and spooky?" Mason moved to walk down the brighter tunnel, but Theo grabbed his arm.

"You're right. We need to follow our fear." Theo looked back at the other boy, who was taking deep breaths and gripping his bat with both hands "Hey, it was your idea." Theo shrugged, stepping further into the dark tunnel. He laughed a little when he heard Mason exhale loudly behind him before footsteps move quickly to catch up.

"These tunnels go on forever, and we've been down here for hours," Theo said, pouting down at his poor Converse, significantly less white than when he had stepped down here.

"No real news from the last time you said it twenty minutes ago." Mason snapped. His heart rate had been rising steadily for the last twenty minutes and now it seemed deafening in the ominous silence of the tunnels.

"I wasn't doubting the plan twenty minutes ago," Theo bit back, glaring at the back of Mason's head.

"If you're so concerned, just go. I mean, no one's forcing you to stay here." Mason was just being stupid now. From the sound of his breathing and heartbeat, the kid was liable to have a heart attack any moment.

"Yeah, and leave you and your army in charge of my survival? Don't think so," Theo drawled. He was battling his wolf, who was begging him to turn tail and run. He clenched his fingers, letting his claws dig into his palms, the pain grounding him.

"Whatever it takes just to save your own ass, and just nobody else's."

Was Mason serious? Surely this was the fear talking? Since being tethered to Liam there was not much chance of him being selfish.

"I'm here, aren't I? Maybe I wanna be in the pack. Maybe I like all this," he said, holding up his wrist.

"Yeah, right." Mason was breathing heavily, clearly this was hitting him hard. "You, you expect me to believe that? A pack is about trust." His shoulders were shaking. An image flashed through Theo's mind and for a second he was worried that a black fog was going to form and he would be facing off with the Beast.

"I mean, the first thing you'd do is figure out a way to kill all of us." Mason hissed, breathing heavily. "And it doesn't matter who forgets. I won't."

"Like they all forgot about you?" Theo asked, looking at the ground.

"What?" Mason spat, hands gripping his bat tightly.

"The Beast killed more people than I ever did." He looked directly into Mason's eyes as the other boy paled.

"The Beast was a monster created by the Dread Doctors, I had no choice, no control!" Mason scoffed, looking around wildly, Theo just continued to stare straight at him.

"And I was any different?"

Theo did not have any time to let that sink in before he was wolfing out and lunging forward, only just able to push Mason to the ground before Aaron was swinging a bat into the space Mason's head had just occupied.

Theo helped Mason to lean against the wall. Apparently taking the full weight of a werewolf was damaging to human ribs.

"You okay?" Theo asked, looking around rapidly to see where the kid went.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Mason winced as he held his ribs, the pain cutting through his earlier panic and grounding him.

"Where is he?" Theo asked, unable to catch a scent in the tunnels and Mason's heart rate still loud in his ears making it impossible to place their attacker.

"I don't know," Mason said, grimacing as he pushed himself higher on the wall.

Suddenly there was a grunt as again Aaron swung his bat, barely missing Theo. Theo extended his claws and swung back, catching Aaron in the neck. He screamed in pain and seconds later there was an answering scream through the tunnels. Aaron pushed Theo on top of Mason and took off at a sprint down one of them.

"What was that?" Mason asked, breathing heavily, allowing Theo to help him back into a sitting position.

"I don't know, but we gotta find him. All right, get up, I can't leave you." Theo gripped Mason's jacket, ready to haul him to his feet. The other boy squeezed his eyes shut in pain.

A loud, female scream came from the direction Aaron ran off in, Theo looked up in panic and then back at Mason.

"Wait, wait, something's happening." Theo let go of Mason's jacket, leaning back and trying to make sense of what was going on. "We need, we need to figure it out."

"So figure it out." Mason lent back against the wall, trying to calm his breathing while holding onto his broken ribs. Making a decision, Theo went for Mason's sleeve, pushing his jacket up and gripping his forearm. When nothing happened after a moment, another scream came from Aaron, Theo looked up at Mason with wide, panicked eyes. Mason looked up at Theo with pity, shaking his head.

"You can't take pain if you don't care," he said grimly. Theo thought back to taking Liam's pain when he had been injured by the hellhound. He had cared enough then, had not even thought twice about it, absorbing Liam's pain and taking it as his own. Deciding that was a problem for the another time, he picked Mason up under his arms and pulled him to his feet. It took a little bit of maneuvering to get Mason's arm around his neck so he could drag him through the tunnels, but he managed.

They could hear Aaron fighting with someone, and as they rounded a corner into a wider part of the tunnels, they ran smack into Brett.

The moment of shock was outweighed by the sight of an unconscious Lori at Aaron's feet, and then Brett's snarl as he extended his claws. Theo pushed Mason against the wall, placing his arm on a pipe to keep him upright, and extended his own claws, roaring as he shifted.

"Hey, Theo, Brett! Don't fight him! It's what he wants!" Mason called, but it was too late, Brett rushed forward, a look of shock crossing his face when Aaron grabbed his wrists and plunged Brett's claws into his own stomach, a feral scream spilling from his lips.

And then the answering call from the other half of the Anuk-ite in the distance.

Aaron kicked Brett straight into Theo, sending both werewolves tumbling to the ground, before looking around and taking off at a run in the direction of the screaming.

"So whose dumb plan was this?" Brett said, gripping Theo's hand as the two boys pulled each other into a sitting position. Mason staggered to where Lori lay, rolling her onto her side and checking her pulse.

"She'll be ok, she's waking up now," Mason panted, pushing Lori's hair back and watching as the cut on her head stitched itself together.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Talbot?" Theo snapped at Brett.

"Your boyfriend called, said you might need back up," Brett smirked, pulling himself up on the pipes to stagger over to his sister.

"We need to follow that thing, make sure it doesn't get to its other half," Theo said, ignoring Brett's attempt to needle him, pulling himself up and pushing his shoulder back into place.

"What's wrong with you, Mason?" Brett asked, noticing Mason still struggling to breathe. Leaning forward, he pushed Mason's shirt up, letting out a low whistle as purple was already staining his dark skin. Theo rolled his eyes when he heard Mason's breath hitch. He might not be that smart but he knew when someone had a crush.

"I don't think anything is broken, but it hurts to much to climb the ladder out." Mason explained. "Theo tried to take my pain-"

"And what, couldn't get it up?" Brett pouted deliberately and winked at Theo, resting his hand over Mason's ribs and taking his pain, black veins snaking up his arm. After a moment Mason pushed him away and pulled down his shirt, looking away with a blush. Theo was still glaring at Brett as he helped a woozy Lori to her feet.

"Ok that's enough, let's go stop this thing," Mason said, getting to his to feet. He was still moving carefully, but had enough energy to get to the steps leading out of the tunnels.

"No one gave you Werewolf 101, Raeken?" Brett said as he helped his sister onto the steps. "Surely your precious baby wolf will be happy to help you learn how to feel?" Brett drawled, turning and giving Theo another wink as he stepped onto the first step.

Growling, Theo grabbed Brett by the back of his shirt and pulled him to the ground. Stepping on Brett's chest he jumped onto the steps, taking them two at a time to the surface.


	20. Chapter 20

Liam stared out the window, watching as Mason climbed into Theo's truck and then they were driving away. The red string trailed after the truck, waving in the wind.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?" He asked Scott after a moment, turning to look at his alpha.

"About what?" Scott asked.

"Theo," he said simply.

He still had no idea how he felt about Theo or about the fact that were apparently soulmates. What he did know was that he hated the fact that everyone had known about it before he did. The string tugged at his wrist, stretching, making Liam wince.

"It wasn't my place," Scott said with a sigh. "Theo had to tell you himself."

"Is that what you guys fought about?" Liam asked, anger stirring in his gut.

"Not exactly," Scott said, grimacing as he pulled a wrinkled piece of paper out of his pocket and pressing it flat on the table. "I asked Deaton about the string. He told me it could be broken, like, permanently."

"Theo wouldn't do that without talking to me," Liam growled. He gathered up the string that spooled around him, holding it against his chest.

"Yes," Scott agreed, nodding slowly. "That's about the point I lost him too."

"What do you mean?" Liam demanded.

"Deaton said that the bond is stronger when it's between werewolves, more possessive. It doesn't react well to threats," Scott explained.

"And Theo saw you as a threat," Liam realised. "So he cut and run."

"Before hearing me out," Scott sighed. "I would never break it without your consent, both of you."

"Oh," Liam said, lowering his hands. "That's alright then."

"How do you feel about it?" Scott asked.

"I don't know," Liam shrugged. "I haven't really had a chance to process it yet."

"So let's process," Scott suggested.

"Is this really the time?" Liam asked, indicating the flip phone set on the table in front of Scott.

"Mason and Theo will keep Aaron busy, so we have time, we'll make time," Scott said firmly.

"You trust him now, don't you?" Liam asked. Scott's eyes shone with sincerity as he nodded.

"He's different, and he cares about you."

Liam nodded back, biting his lip and looking down. Emotion overwhelmed him as he released the tight leash binding them all together in his chest.

"I'm angry," he said, clenching his fists. "Angry that he didn't tell me, that none of you did. Angry that it could have been taken away and I would never have known."

"I'm sorry," Scott said quietly. "What else?"

"Confused," Liam admitted. "I don't like guys, or at least I never used to."

"Maybe you still don't," Scott said with a shrug. "Soulmates doesn't necessarily mean partner or lover, it could be a friend."

Liam shook his head, that didn't feel right.

"Or maybe it's just Theo," Scott continued.

"I think so," Liam whispered, thinking about the dream where Theo had been in his bed, his hand on his cheek, his breath hot on Liam's lips before he had realised that it was real. Liam had thought of that almost-kiss more times than he cared to admit, wondering what might have happened if he had leant forward a little bit instead of talking.

"What else do you feel?" Scott asked.

"I'm afraid," Liam admitted.

"Of what?"

Liam looked up at Scott, his lower lip trembling. "Of everyone dying, of failing everyone, of my anger, of killing someone. So many things. I'm always fucking terrified, all the time." Tears welled in his eyes, and a large lump of emotion choked him, making it hard to breathe.

Scott surged forwards, pressing a large hand in the middle of his back, rubbing in small soothing circles.

"It's ok," Scott whispered. "Let it out."

Liam gasped for breath, his chest heaving as he desperately tried to find an anchor. He wrapped his hands around the string and felt some of the fear ebb away. Realisation dawned.

"He's my anchor too," he said, eyes wide as he turned to look at Scott.

"Too?" Scott asked.

"I'm his, he told me yesterday," Liam said.

"Good," Scott said. "I'm glad he has you, that you have each other. I have a feeling that this will all get worse before it gets better. Hold onto him with both hands and don't let go," he advised.

Liam nodded, feeling lighter as he finally accepted the truth. Theo was his truth, his anchor, his soulmate. For right now, that was all that mattered. He would figure out the rest later.

After Liam had wiped his eyes and contained his emotions once more, they returned to the issue at hand.

He twirled the phone around on the table, staring down at it with a frown. He had to stop getting distracted by Theo. People were dying while he wasted time thinking about feelings. Liam ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face as he tried to concentrate.

With a frustrated growl he picked up the phone and dialled the number that had left the voicemail. Scott snatched it from him and shit the flip phone before it could ring more than once.

"Do you even know what you're gonna say?" Scott asked.

"Hello?" Liam shrugged.

"We might only get one shot at this. What are you gonna tell her?" Scott said, raising an eyebrow at him. Liam shifted, feeling abashed.

"I'm gonna try to get her to meet us somewhere," he explained.

"Maybe that might not be the best idea," Scott said, looking worried.

"Why? Then we'll know who they are."

"And they'll know who we are," Scott groaned. Before he could answer, the phone rang. They looked at each other, startled, and then back down at the phone.

"Answer it," Liam said insistently.

"You're the one who wanted to make the call, you take it," Scott shook his head, offering him the phone. Liam took it, but it stopped ringing before he could open it. He called the number back immediately, placing the open phone on the table as he and Scott leaned over it.

"Beacon Hills High School," a male voice said. "How can I-" Liam hung up immediately, staring at Scott.

"It's someone at school," Liam gasped.

"We might know who they are," Scott nodded.

Liam picked up the phone, frowning thoughtfully as he played the voice message again. The voice was tugging at his subconscious. He had heard it before, he knew it. He turned his back on Scott and pressed play.

"Liam?" Scott prompted as Liam listened to the woman speaking. His eyes widened as he finally placed it, his brain making the connection, remembering the amount of times that Mrs Finch had called his name during Biology.

"I think I know who it is," he said, whirling around to look at Scott.

It was late, almost three in the morning, so they decided to sneak back to Scott's place to catch a few hours of sleep. Scott gave him a blanket and set him up on the couch, tip-toeing up to his room so that Melissa does not wake up. Liam listened to him cross the ceiling above him and then settle into bed. Moments later, the alpha was snoring.

Liam tossed and turned, unable to switch his mind off. The string was tangled through his fingers, held by his death grip against his chest. He still hadn't heard from Theo and he was worried. Both he and Mason had their phones turned off, so Liam was unable to contact either of them.

He stared up at the ceiling, eyes burning with fatigue, his mind racing. All he could feel along the string was fear, and it only served to make him feel more anxious.

With a growl, Liam sat up and shoved the blanket away, getting to his feet and slowly prowling up the stairs. His eyes glowed as he sniffed at the air, his wolf searching.

Liam paused at Scott's door, making sure that he was still asleep, but all he could hear was a light snore. Satisfied, he turned to the other door in the hallway and eased it open, quietly shutting it behind him.

Theo's scent swirled through the air, instantly making the tension drain from Liam's body. The bed was made, a bag filled with Theo's belongings sitting at the end of it, clothes spilling from it. Liam shook his head with a tired smile. Theo had clearly just chucked it there after they had all returned from the Animal Hospital. Liam put everything back inside of it and placed it by the door for easy access, just in case.

He sighed as he flopped into the middle of the bed, Theo's scent encompassing him. He writhed around on the bed, letting Theo's scent coat his entire body. Once his wolf was satisfied, Liam closed his eyes, a smile dancing on his lips as he instantly drifted off to sleep.

Scott and Liam sat in Stiles' jeep in the carpark of the school, waiting. Scott yawned, looking exhausted, but Liam felt fine. He had barely had four hours of sleep and yet he had awoken feeling refreshed. On the way out the door he had grabbed one of Theo's hoodies, chucking it on, and the other wolf's scent next to his skin made him feel centred.

Liam sat up, watching with narrowed eyes as Mrs Finch arrived, getting out of her car and walking into the school.

"Mrs Finch? You're sure?" Scott asked incredulously.

"It was her on the phone," Liam nodded.

"Okay, well, that still doesn't prove that she's the Anuk-Ite, or even that she's one of us," Scott muttered.

"It was still her," Liam said with a shrug. Now that he had made that connection, he was positive that it had been Mrs Finch on the phone. Not only did she delight in tormenting Liam in Biology, but she had also been there when Gabe and Nolan had beaten him up. Her voice as she said she could do nothing to help him still featured in some of his nightmares. Knowing that she could possibly be the Anuk-ite was making Liam's anger rise to the surface, vibrating beneath his skin.

"Okay, well, we need to get closer, see if we can get her to expose her supernatural side," Scott said with a frown.

"How are we gonna do that?" Liam asked.

"You're gonna do it," Scott explained.

"Well, what about the hunters, and the Nazi student brigade?" Liam spluttered. He was shit at planning, but even he knew that taking on a whole school of people who loathed his very existence, who were terrified of him, was a terrible idea.

"Yeah, I'll be right there with you," Scott said entreatingly. "Just get close, find out, and get out."

Liam sighed, shaking his head as he stared morosely at the school. "But I hate biology," he whined.

When Liam entered the classroom, Mrs Finch had her back to him, writing on the board. He slipped into his usual seat, and Gabe sat down beside him with a nasty smirk. Liam glanced at him and then up at the teacher, fingers digging into his claws as he tried to stay focused on the task at hand and not on the memory of Gabe's head pressed between his hand and the fractured mirror.

The bell rang and Mrs Finch started the lesson.

"Welcome back," she said, back still turned. "Phones away, everyone, and settle down. We have a long way to go to get through the day. We'll start first with-" She turned, eyes wide as she stared at him, "Liam. I didn't think we'd be seeing you again."

"Can't let my GPA go down just 'cause I got beat up in class," Liam shrugged, his eyes mutinous as he stared back at her and glanced at Gabe, who was texting on his phone.

"Yes. Well, I," she gaped at him like a fish and then cleared her throat, shaking her head. Her eyes slid to Gabe. "Gabe, I said no phones." She snatched it from him and returned to the front of the class.

Liam watched her as she turned her back to him, starting the lesson as she wrote on the board. He pulled out some earbuds and placed them in his ears, before reaching down into his bag.

He set off the device, hearing it shriek even through the earbuds. He winced, but Mrs Finch didn't react. Instead, the girl behind him clapped her hands to her ears and ran from the room.

"Where did Rebecca go?" She asked.

Liam switched off the machine and covered his face, making it look like he was itching his nose.

"Anything?" Scott asked.

"No," Liam breathed. "No reaction at all."

"Liam?" Scott said in an alarmed voice.

"What?" Liam muttered.

"Three volunteers, please," Mrs Finch said. Gabe got to his feet and went to the board, picking up the chalk.

"Did Gabe get a text out?" Scott hissed.

"I don't know," Liam admitted, getting to his feet and heading to the board as well, shoving Gabe so that he moved aside. Gabe glared at him but resumed working through the problem on the blackboard. Liam scribbled something on the board without paying all that much attention.

"Hey, Liam, you better hurry up," Scott warned. "I think we're running out of chances."

Liam peered over his shoulder, seeing that the teacher was distracted. He pulled a small sachet from his pocket and grabbed the duster, sprinkling the powder over it and placing it back down.

"Liam, that's not even remotely close," Mrs Finch said, sounding exasperated. "Why don't you have a seat, and let's try this again."

He nodded and returned to his seat, watching her with bated breath as she picked up the duster and removed his answer. She cleared her throat a few times, coughing and then sneezing as the dust sprinkled all around her. She sighed, glancing at Gabe. "You'd think I'd be used to that after 20 years."

She looked down at the duster, before whirling around and looking out at the class. "That's it for today. Class dismissed." Everyone began packing up, not quite believing their luck as they walked out. "Not you, Liam. You stay put."

Everyone left, and she stood at the front of the room, sighing as she looked at Liam. "I get it. I know what you're trying to do." She moved closer, wringing her hands together.

"You do?" Liam said.

"You're upset and you wanna get back at me.

"Upset?"

"Because I stood by and I did nothing for what Gabe and Nolan did to you. I'm your teacher and I should have protected you," she explained.

"No!" Liam said angrily. "No, I mean, yeah, but, no, that's not why I'm here. I know about your pack."

"My what?" She said, looking confused.

"I know what you are," Liam shrugged. He tilted his head, hearing her heart racing.

"Liam, I-"

"You're a werewolf," Liam interjected.

She laughed. "A what?" Liam could tell that she was trying to do, but he knew the truth. She was a werewolf, she had a pack, and she or someone she knew was a threat to them all.

"A person who turns into a wolf on a full moon," Liam said, exasperated. Why was she continuing to play dumb? What was the point? She had already been exposed.

"Oh, God," she said dismissively. "Yeah, right. And I can probably only be killed by a silver bullet."

"No, no, that's not totally true," Liam pointed out.

"Are you on drugs?" She asked, moving closer.

"Huh?"

"Well, I know your father's a surgeon at the hospital," she said gently.

"No, I'm not on drugs! Mrs. Finch, you're a werewolf," Liam spluttered.

"Hydrocodone?"

"You have a pack."

"Oxycodone?"

"You said it on the phone," he growled, beyond frustrated.

"That's enough," she said, authority ringing in her tone. He shook his head.

"You can't hide what you are," he replied. He stared at her, stone-faced, as her agitation began to shine through.

"I don't know what you're talking about but you really need to go, now. You need to leave this classroom right now. You have to leave my class," she said, her voice shaky. "Go!"

Scott walked in, the phone held in his hands. He played the message, and Mrs Finch stilled, staring at him, horrified. She walked towards him slowly, snatching the phone from his hands and closing it, holding it against her chest.

"Where did you find this?" She asked.

Scott tried to explain but she cut him off after a few minutes, panic making her eyes wide. "I told you, I don't know what the Primal is. I don't know what an Anuk-a-whatever is. I, I was just trying to call my daughter. Where did you get this?" She stammered.

"You said you were in a pack," Liam pointed out. "That was you on the phone, that's what you said."

"And I don't know what business it is of yours, my personal life," she said angrily, whirling to glare at him. "I am the teacher, you are the students. I don't go digging into your personal life outside of these walls, you shouldn't be digging into mine."

"Did you reach any of them before they died?" Scott asked gently. She faced him, lower lip trembling.

"What What are you talking about?" She breathed.

"Mrs Finch, I'm sorry, but your family, they were attacked, and they're dead," Scott explained. Liam felt guilt flare in his stomach. No one should have to find out that their whole pack was gone like this. He hated Mrs Finch, but he felt sorry for her. He couldn't imagine how it would feel, to have Scott and Theo and all the rest ripped away from him, just like that, the world dropping out from underneath him.

"Dead? They no, they can't be dead because they were just, they were,they were in the woods, they were just, they're hiding out," she cried. "They're scared."

"We found that phone on a body," Scott whispered. "There were three men, two boys."

"What about my daughter?"

"Well, there was another body, but, uh," Scott trailed off.

"But what?" She asked.

"We couldn't identify it. The skin was stripped down to the muscle. There was no DNA. The pack tattoo was still there," he explained, shaking his head.

"Okay, sorry, but this, this doesn't make sense," she said, glancing between them, hands raised as if she was physically trying to hold off Scott's words. "I mean, this isn't how biology works."

"That's what the Anuk-Ite does," Liam said. "It finds a body and it takes its face. It takes the whole identity of that person."

"Not my daughter," she begged. "No, not my daughter." She walked past Liam, sitting down on the desk as she cried.

"There's a way to find out," Liam said, looking down at her.

She shook her head, wringing her hands together. "I won't do that."

"Just call her and tell her not to go anywhere near the school," Liam said earnestly. "Tell her that there's someone or something hunting for someone like her."

"You have to stop talking about this," she pleaded, shaking her head and holding up her hands.

"If she shows up, at least you'll know what happened to your family, what happened to your daughter," Scott shrugged, moving to stand beside Liam.

"I'll do it for you," Liam offered. She looked at him and then down at the phone, opening it and handing it to Liam with shaking hands.

He stared down at it, at the name on the screen. "That's her name? That's your daughter's name?"

"Quinn," she sobbed. "My daughter's name is Quinn." Scott's head shot up as he stared at Liam. They both remembered Quinn, the girl at the police station. The other half of the Anuk-ite.

They sat in her classroom all day, watching her cry off and on, because time is an illusion on this stupid fucking show and apparently Quinn didn't rock up until night-time even though it was just the start of the day literally a second ago.  
Liam and Scott turned their heads, their supernatural ears picking up the sound of shoes tapping down the hallway. Liam got to his feet, moving closer to the door.

"That's her, isn't it? Well, what are you planning on doing?" Mrs Finch asked.

Liam shushed her, eyes focused on the door.

"You, you're not going to try to hurt her, are you? That's my daughter," she said desperately.

"We're gonna do what we have to do," Liam said in a low voice as Scott came to stand beside him. He balanced on his heels, ready to explode into action.

"What exactly does that mean?" She stammered.

"Just stay back," Scott whispered. "Liam?"

"Ready," Liam nodded.

And then suddenly Mrs Finch was there, hitting Liam over the head with the duster, wolfsbane choking him. He sunk to his knees as she did the same to Scott, both of them falling to the ground, coughing, as she flew towards the door and sprinted down the hallway.

They recovered slowly and scrambled to their feet, dashing after her, but it was too late. Quinn was gone and Mrs Finch was lying in the hallway, hand pressed to her throat, blood coating her front. Liam looked down at her with a frown as Scott squatted in front of her.

"I'll stay," Scott instructed. "Go find Quinn."

"Whoa, whoa, we need to face her together," Liam said, eyes wide.

"I can't leave her," Scott shook his head. Liam growled his frustration.

"Scott, we don't have time for this. We have to stop her from finding Aaron. We're stronger together," Liam said entreatingly.

"Liam," Scott said, shaking his head and turning to look at Mrs Finch.

"She's not worth it," Liam said in a low voice. "She stood there, watching, while Gabe and Nolan attacked me. She's a teacher, and a werewolf, she could have stopped it if she wanted to."

"I can't just leave her," Scott said, looking up at Liam. The fear was affecting him too, Liam realised, clouding his mind. He knelt in front of Scott, placing a hand on each shoulder.

"Scott, if we don't leave her, more people die, people we could have saved if we stopped the Anuk-ite. She made her choice," Liam said, gazing into Scott's eyes, trying to get through to him.

He rose to his feet, pulling Scott up with him. Liam could tell that Scott was still wavering, needed one final push.

"You need to listen to me, Scott. We have to go."

"You're right," Scott whispered, "but-"

He looked down at Mrs Finch, who still stared off into the distance, eyes glassy with unshed tears, hand clasped to her throat.

"Come on," Liam said gently, grabbing Scott's sleeve and tugging at it. "Before it's too late."

With a frustrated growl, Scott turned and followed him down the hallway, both of them breaking into a run as they followed the Anuk-ite's scent.

The two of them tracked her into the library, pushing through the door to find her standing at the opposite end, facing away from them.

She turned to look at them, and Liam shivered as a flash of fear ran up his spine.

"It's ok to be afraid," Scott said quietly. "Just don't let it stop you." Liam glanced at him and then back at Quinn.

"Stay afraid," he muttered.

Their eyes widened as Aaron walked up behind Quinn and stood in front of her. Liam grabbed the red string in his hands. Where was Theo? Real fear shot through him, making him shake. What had Aaron done to Theo and Mason. The fear was overcome by the rage, the quiet simmer turning into a maelstrom in his chest. He roared, eyes glowing, fangs and claws bared, and then he was launching himself at Aaron and Quinn, running across the tables and flying towards them.

Quinn punched him directly in the centre of his chest, sending him tumbling backwards. Scott, running beside him, was kicked out of the air by Aaron, and went flying backwards into the table, landing with a grown.

Liam whimpered, watching with horror as the two halves kissed and then began to hit each other, Quin headbutting Aaron and then fending off his punches as she grabbed him around the throat. Before Liam could get to his feet, Aaron reached up and snapped Quinn's neck, and she slumped to the ground.

He stood over her, his eyes glowing purple as he laid a hand on her cheek and absorbed her powers. Aaron groaned as red sparks and purple smoke poured from his body. He stumbled away, out of sight, panting, the grisly sounds of bones and flesh changing reaching Liam's ears. Liam shuddered as he got to his feet, staring over at Scott, who was slowly doing the same. They stood side by side, eyes glowing as they prepared to face the new threat.

And then Lydia and Malia were there, grabbing them by the shoulders and dragging them back out of the library. They fell to the ground, and Scott and Liam jumped back up to their feet.

"We have to run," Lydia gasped, scrabbling to her feet and taking off down the hallway, Malia already halfway down and holding open a classroom door.

"What are you doing? Quinn and Aaron merged, we have to stop them," Liam protested. He still followed her though, Lydia was a banshee. If she said they had to run, then they had to run.

"You can't," Lydia explained, her voice shaky. "You can't look at it. If you do, it'll kill you."

They hid in the classroom, waiting until they heard the Anuk-ite leave before walking back out into the hallway.

They saw two stone bodies lying in the middle of it, and Lydia bent over one of them, hand hovering over the hunter's skin.

"How do we fight something we can't look at?" Liam asked, shaking his head.

"I have no idea," Lydia admitted, slowly standing up.

"We have to learn to fight without our eyes," Scott said quietly.

"Fight without seeing, that means-" Malia said.

"Deucalion," Lydia finished grimly.


	21. Chapter 21

_They returned to Scott's house, sore and battle-weary. Scott and Malia went upstairs, while the rest of them walked into the lounge room._

 _Brett and Lori were sprawled on the couch, with Corey beside them. Melissa was kneeling in front of Mason, both of whom looked pale and shaky as she wrapped a bandage around his chest._

 _"Mason," Liam said, going straight to his side. "What happened?"_

 _"Theo landed on me," Mason pouted, wincing in pain as Melissa tied off the bandage. "I think I cracked a rib or two."_

 _"We're fine, by the way," Brett drawled. "Just saved your little boyfriend and your best friend's lives, no big deal."_

 _Liam sighed, glancing over at him. He was getting really sick of Brett's attitude. He was always trying to get a rise out of Liam, trying to poke him with a stick to see if he would explode. Liam was far too tired for this shit._

 _"What? You want a medal or something?" Liam growled._

 _"A thank you would be nice," Brent sniffed, eyes glittering as he stared Liam down._

 _"Dude, what is your problem with me?" Liam growled. "I made a mistake, I fucked up, and it pissed you off, I get it. But why can't you just let it go?"_

 _Brett got to his feet and Liam stood up as well, facing off against him._

 _"You're dangerous," Brett said in a low voice._

 _"We're all dangerous, Talbot," Liam said, indicating everyone around them._

 _"Your IED-"_

 _"Is not something I can help," Liam interrupted him. "I didn't wake up one day and think, oh boy, I'd love to just go around fucking shit up."_

 _"Maybe not, but it makes you a liability, especially without an anchor," Brett pointed out._

 _"I have an anchor," Liam replied, eyes narrowed. "And if you don't mind, I'm gonna go find him."_

 _"He's upstairs," Melissa said quietly._

 _"Yeah, I know," Liam said, his fingers brushing over the string. "I'll see you guys in the morning."_

 _"Wait, what?" Mason spluttered. Liam ignored him, already making his way up the stairs. He was far too tired for over-analysing his not-relationship with Theo. He just wanted to sleep._

 _Pushing open the door, he peeked in, seeing Theo asleep in his bed. His heart thudded in his chest as he slipped inside, closing the door behind him and sitting on the edge of the bed as he pulled off his shoes. His jeans were next, and then his shirt, leaving him in his boxers._

 _"What was that about?" Theo mumbled sleepily._

 _"Just Brett being a jerk again," Liam said quietly. "Don't worry about it."_

 _Theo mumbled, shuffling over and making room for Liam. He got into the bed, lying on his side facing the other boy, sighing as warmth and Theo's scent surrounded him._

 _"Is this a thing now?" Theo asked, peering at him over the top of his blanket._

 _"It doesn't mean anything," Liam muttered, snuggling into the mattress._

 _Theo huffed a laugh. "Whatever you say, baby wolf."_

 _"Don't call me that," Liam grumbled._

 _"Go to sleep," Theo said softly. He reached over, brushing his hand against Liam's. When he made no move to pull away, Theo intertwined their fingers. Liam sighed happily, his wolf safe and content, and slept._

Theo woke up to another body plastered against his chest. He glanced down, only seeing a mop of hair, and smiled fondly.

He woke slowly, shifting minutely and taking in the feel of Liam's body pressed against his, the hand resting over his heart, the leg thrown over the top of his hip, the soft heat of Liam's breath against his neck.

"W'time sit?" Liam mumbled, lips brushing over his neck and making him shiver.

"No idea," Theo sighed, reaching up and brushing a hand through Liam's hair. "Early, I think." Liam snuggled closer, and Theo felt his heart skip a beat. Liam stirred, pulling away and looking up at him blearily.

"S'wrong?"

"Nothing," Theo said, heart melting as he looked at Liam. His face was creased, hair shooting off in a million different directions, his eyes heavy with sleep. He looked ridiculous. Sleepy Liam was probably the most adorable thing Theo had ever seen in his life.

Liam blinked, trying to focus on his face in the darkness. Theo rolled his eyes, and pulled him back down, wrapping his arms around him. Liam's protest was muffled into his neck, but he only struggled for a second before he sighed and relented, melting back into Theo's arms.

Theo pressed his nose into Liam's hair and inhaled deeply, feeling himself drifting back to sleep.

When he woke a third time, the room was much lighter, and Liam was lying on his side, propped up by his elbow, looking down at him.

"Morning," Theo rumbled, his voice hoarse.

"Good morning," Liam responded. His eyes were lidded, hiding his expression, and Theo gazed up at him, enjoying the chance to just look at Liam, taking in the bright clear blue of his eyes, the strong jawline, the luscious full lips. He was struck, suddenly, by an ache in his chest, a desperate need, one he had never felt before.

He dropped his eyes, examining the feeling.

Theo knew that he cared for Liam. Something about the other boy had always called to him, and when he had returned from hell, saved by Liam, it had created this bond between them. His wolf had accepted Liam straight away, but Theo had taken a little bit longer to come around. But despite himself, Theo had found himself wanting to be around Liam all the time, not just because he had to, but because he wanted to. Now that he knew what it was like, he could not imagine waking up without Liam in his arms.

 _Was it?_

He looked back up at Liam, searching his face, heart thudding painfully fast. He had known, intellectually, that Liam was his soulmate, but it seemed like his heart had finally got the memo. Theo had never been with anyone before, had never wanted to, but somehow Liam had worn him down, and he wanted nothing more than to pull Liam down and kiss him.

"What is it?" Liam asked quietly.

Theo swallowed nervously, unable to get the words out. He shook his head, reaching up to brush his fingers over Liam's cheek, tenderly pushing his hair away from his face.

"You need a haircut," Theo smiled.

Liam rolled his eyes, falling back down to the bed, shuffling until he was lying on his back, his arm pressed against Theo's. Theo felt a pang in his chest, pressed a hand to his heart, trying to push away the ache. Liam was not ready, he had made that clear, had not yet decided if this was what he wanted.

He lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, feeling the heat of Liam pressed up against his side.

"Do you remember what you said to me, after the zoo?" Liam asked after a few minutes of contemplative silence.

"Which bit?" Theo asked.

"About people only feeling one emotion at at time," Liam prompted.

"Yeah, what about it?"

Liam was quiet for a moment, and Theo turned to look at him.

"I'm afraid," Liam whispered.

Theo remembered Mason's words in the tunnel. _I feel it too._

He slid his hand into Liam's, gripping it tightly.

"Of what?" He asked.

"Of hurting the people I love," Liam admitted, turning to look at Theo, his eyes swimming with tears. "Brett's right-"

"Brett isn't right about anything, ever," Theo said firmly.

"Maybe, maybe not," Liam said. "But I, I did it to Scott, I hurt him, I nearly killed him and I'm so angry, all of the time. It terrifies me. What if I do it again?"

 _I did this,_ Theo realised, his heart sinking in his chest, _I made him live out his worst fear._

"Liam," he whispered, heart aching, guilt overwhelming him.

"God, I know how that sounds, I'm sorry," Liam said, sniffling. "I don't blame you, you just pointed out an issue that already existed. I hurt people, I hurt everyone around me."

"Liam, no, god no," Theo said, turning and pulling Liam into his arms. He felt the other boy shake, his tears running down onto Theo's chest. He shushed him, soothing a hand along his back. "You get angry, sure," Theo said quietly. "But you take it out on yourself, not other people. Look at Nolan, you hate that kid, but you broke your hand rather than hurt him. You could have killed him, but you didn't."

"I probably would have if you weren't there," Liam said, his voice muffled.

"I don't think so," Theo said, shaking his head. "You're gaining more control every day. You've come so far, you just have to believe in yourself."

"You think so?" Liam asked.

"Definitely," Theo said firmly, his arms encircling Liam, protecting him.

"I can't do it without you," Liam admitted quietly. Theo trailed his fingers up and down Liam's spine, pressing his nose into Liam's hair.

"I'm not going anywhere," Theo sighed.

They stayed like that for awhile, focussing on the warmth seeping into their bodies.

"What are you afraid of?" Liam asked suddenly. Theo tightened his arms slightly, eyes drawn to his wrist, to the string.

He took a shuddering breath, gathering strength.

"Losing the bond," he breathed, "losing you."

Liam took a deep breath. "I talked to Scott about that."

Theo froze, held his breath, panic blinding him.

"Theo, breathe," Liam said, pulling away and looking at him with concern shining in his eyes, cupping Theo's face in his hand. Theo took a shuddering breath, trying to focus on the steady beat of Liam's heart.

"What did he say?" He asked after he was a bit calmer, trying to tamp down on the fear that threatened to overwhelm him.

"He said he wouldn't break the bond unless both of us agreed it was what we wanted," Liam said gently.

"But, I thought," Theo said, staring at Liam, confused.

"Scott wouldn't break it without your permission," Liam said, stroking his cheek. "He's not like that."

Theo stared at him, feeling like the world was shifting around him, making him feel disorientated.

"And what about you?" He asked. "What do you want?"

"It doesn't matter," Liam said, shaking his head. "You just said that the thought of losing our bond is what scares you the most. There's no way I'm breaking it."

"But-"

"No, Theo, I wouldn't do that to you," Liam said firmly. "Like it or not, we're partners now. What that means for us, I still don't really know, but if you're not going anywhere, then neither am I."

Theo's eyes widened, and they both screwed their eyes shut as red light blinded them. Blinking back spots, Theo looked down at the string. It was thicker, even more tangible, looking more like a thin rope than a piece of string now.

"Huh," Liam said, staring down at it thoughtfully. "That's a thing that happened."

"Yep," Theo said. Liam glanced up at him and then away, blushing lightly. They sprung apart as a knock sounded at the door.

"Everything ok?" Scott asked from the other side of the door.

"Yep, fine," Liam said. "We'll be down in a minute."

"Ok," Scott said, sounding amused. They listened to his footsteps move away.

"Uhmm, so, I guess we should rejoin the real world," Liam said, running a hand through his hair, making it even messier than before.

"I guess," Theo said, feeling strangely bereft as Liam got up and gathered his clothes.

They had nearly finished breakfast when Liam got a message. He glanced at his phone, opening it and seeing a text from Nolan. His eyes flicked to Theo and then back down to his phone. Nolan had asked to meet him at the school, saying he had something to show him. There was no way that Theo would approve, that anyone would approve, but Liam wanted to prove that he could handle something on his own for a change. He shot off a reply and put his phone away.

"Who was that?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Mason, he wants me to come over," Liam lied, rolling his eyes and looking annoyed. Theo gave him a long look, hearing the lie, but said nothing.

"Ok cool," Scott said. "Let me know how he's feeling."

"Will do," Liam mumbled, getting to his feet and going to put his dishes in the sink. Theo followed him.

"Be careful," he whispered. "Call me if anything happens."

"I will," Liam promised, not entirely sure if it was a lie or not.

Theo nodded, and let him pass.

He waited in the library, hidden in the stacks. Nolan entered, looking uncomfortable. The other students were eyeing him, the stench of fear and uncertainty swirling around them.

"Doesn't feel good, does it? Liam taunted as Nolan walked by. He stopped, turning to look at Liam, eyes wide. "You know why they're looking at you like that?"

"They're afraid of me?" Nolan asked.

"They're afraid of what you're gonna say, and who you're gonna say it to. Nobody trusts you anymore," Liam smirked.

"Then why are you here?" Nolan asked, frustrated. "How come you texted me back?"

"Because maybe this time I'll kick your ass," Liam said, stepping closer, eyes glinting with malice.

"I said I was going to help," Nolan said quietly. "I can show you something. Something I know you're gonna wanna see."

"Where?" Liam asked.

"At the hospital," Nolan stuttered.

"Why don't you just tell me what it is?" Liam growled.

"Because I had a plan."

"You? You have a plan?" Liam said scornfully.

"Yeah. Yeah, I- I'm gonna show you what you need to see at the hospital. Then you're gonna kick my ass so Miss Monroe thinks that you had to beat the information out of me," Nolan explained.

Liam looked down, considering this, and nodded. "Yeah, I'm good with that plan."

They entered through a side entrance. Liam went to walk down the hallway, but Nolan grabbed his arm, stopping him and pulling him back.

"See that guy? That's why we didn't come in the front door," he whispered, indicating a man who was crouched in front of a woman and her son, smiling at them.

"Who is he?" Liam asked.

"He's with Monroe. He was there last night. They handed him a gun like everyone else," Nolan said. "You see that, that nurse right there? She was standing right behind me."

Liam looked at the blonde woman Nolan gestured to. She looked normal, standing and chatting to her co-workers.

"There's more than you think and they're not just Hunters. t's anyone and everyone who's willing to pick up a gun," Nolan said in a low voice. "Last night they were teaching them how to use them, how to load clips, what to do if the gun jams."

"Nurses?" Liam said, shaking his head.

"Everyone."

"So this is what you wanted to show me? That people hate us?" Liam spat, turning to look at Nolan. "I could've figured this out on my own."

"But it's not just that," Nolan sighed. "Come with me, okay?" He placed a hand on Liam's shoulder. A phone rang, distracting the nurse. "Now!" Nolan hissed.

They dashed past the nurses station, and Nolan lead him through the hospital and into the elevator. They went down a few floors, Nolan stopping Liam from leaving the elevator as he checked for other people.

Liam glanced at a sign, which read 'Intensive Care Unit.'

Satisfied, Nolan dashed forward and into one of the rooms, Liam following after him.

They stood in front of the beds, staring down at the three unconscious people.

"They brought them in yesterday," Nolan said.

"Who are they?" Liam asked.

"I, I don't know, but they brought them in last night," Nolan said. Liam stepped closer to the bed nearest him, eyes trailing over the bed and then up to the IV, which held a pale purple liquid. "Do you know what that is?"

"Wolfsbane," Liam growled.

He pulled out his phone, dialling Mason's number.

"Hey, Liam," Mason said.

"I have a problem," Liam said, ignoring his greeting. "I'm at the hospital. There's three werewolves in the intensive care unit, they're keeping them drugged with wolfsbane."

"What are you doing at the hospital?" Mason spluttered, sounding panicked.

"That's not important, what do I do?" Liam said.

"Nothing," Mason snapped.

"Can't we just pull them out?" Liam asked, pacing around the room nervously.

"No, don't remove the IVs," Mason said, sounding alarmed. "You don't know what's gonna happen. Just, just wait till we get there. We're on our way."

"All right," Liam nodded. "Hurry."

He hung up the phone, turning to look at Nolan.

"Okay," Nolan stuttered. "Uh, I'm going."

"Whoa, whoa, what about your plan?" Liam asked, stepping in front of him.

"Nobody saw you come in with me," Nolan pointed out.

"So?" Liam raised an eyebrow.

"So, I don't have to get my ass kicked," Nolan said anxiously.

"Well, that was the only part of the plan that I liked," Liam pouted. Nolan swallowed, shifting on his feet anxiously. Liam sighed. Theo was right, he really was past taking out his anger on other people. "Go," he said, tilting his head towards the door.

Nolan looked at him, lip quirking, staring at him as if he could not quite believe his luck. He nodded at Liam, and then he was brushing past him, walking out the door. Liam looked after him, and sighed.

Sometimes being the bigger person sucked.

A sense of unease made Liam walk to the door, peeking through the glass window on top of it. His eyes slid side to side, but he could see nothing. The lights turned off, the back-up light on the floor flickering on.

Liam's eyes glowed as he slowly turned around.


	22. Chapter 22

_Liam checked his phone and sighed. Still no word from Mason, or Scott, or even Theo. He stared out the window into the hallway, his every sense on wait was agonising. Anxiety churned in his gut, his wolf pacing under his skin restlessly. He hated this feeling of being trapped, but he could not just abandon these werewolves to Monroe and Gerard's sick games._

 _Which was how he heard one of the supposedly unconscious bodies behind him start to rise._

 _He whirled around in time to see the man pull up a gun, and he rolled along the ground as he fired it. Before he was able to fire a second shot, Liam had disarmed him and was throwing him out into the hallway. He stalked after him, pulling up short at the cocking of yet another gun._

 _Turning, his eyes widened as he saw the hunters, with Gabe standing between them._

 _"_ _Wait," Gabe said, "let me do it."_

 _Liam backed away, staring into the cold, dead eyes of someone he had once thought of as a teammate._

 _"_ _Go ahead, Liam," Gabe taunted. "Run. It'll be more fun that way."_

And they call us the monsters, _Liam thought idly. And then,_ I'm going to die here.

 _Regret filled him. He was only 16, still a kid, really. He wondered if it hurt, dying, if it would be over quickly. He bit his lip, turning his face away, unable to watch as Gabe smiled like an angel of death and squeezed the trigger._

 _His morbid thoughts were interrupted the cold feel of metal at his back, the doors of the elevator, standing closed._

 _There was nowhere for him to go; four of them, with huge automatic weapons, and just him. Panic almost overwhelmed him, but then with a loud ping, the doors at his back opened, and a familiar pair of arms were encasing him and pulling him backwards just as the hunters opened fire._

"Just buy us more time. Wherever Liam and the others are, get them out of there," Scott instructed over the phone. Theo scowled, cursing himself for letting Liam out of his sight.

"Am I buying you more time to come up with a plan, or to get help?" Theo snarked. He still was not quite over his feelings of resentment for the alpha. He knew now that it had been, mostly, a misunderstanding, but his wolf could still not help but feel that Scott was a threat to his bond with Liam. Only time could heal that particular wound.

But Scott was asking for his help, trusting him to help Liam. Maybe, if they all got out of this alive, there would be a place in the pack for him after all.

"Both," Scott said emphatically. Theo hung up, gritting his teeth as he put his foot down, increasing his speed. He had to get to the hospital. Had to get there in time. Liam needed him.

Liam had sent him a few texts, letting him know about Nolan and the captured werewolves, so thankfully he had already been on his way there. Still, anxiety settled in his gut, the worry that he would be too late an agonising ache in his chest.

He sprinted through the hospital, uncaring as he shoved people out of his way and throwing himself into the elevator.

Why was it always the hospital?

His foot tapped impatiently as the elevator slowly climbed up, the red string strumming in his hand, screaming danger. He balanced on his heels, eyes fixated on the levels as they climbed, ready to explode into action at a moment's notice.

The red string is vibrating so hard that it shakes his teeth, and his eyes move up, somehow knowing that he will have mere seconds to save his mate. He narrowed his eyes, jaw clenched, and the doors open.

He was on Liam in seconds, grabbing him in a bear hug and hauling him back and away from the deadly spray of bullets winging towards him. He shoved Liam against the elevator wall, out of the line of fire, and panted into his ear, adrenaline making him shake as the doors close once more.

"What are you doing here?" Liam yelled. He smelled like panic and fear and regret, but he was alive. Theo breathed him in, hands shaking on either side of Liam's body, caging him in against the elevator wall.

"I was just asking myself the same thing," he muttered, allowing his shoulders to slump. He did not move away. He needed the body contact, needed to reassure his wolf that Liam was alive.

Liam's hands on his chest told him that the other boy needed the same reassurance. Once they had checked each other over for injury, Theo finally allowed himself to look into Liam's eyes.

"Why?" Liam repeated. Theo shuddered. The truth then.

"Scott asked me to come here, to save you and the others, but honestly, I was already on my way here," he said hoarsely. There was a pang in his chest, a longing, the same that had gripped him the previous night.

"Why are you always saving me?" Liam asked. The last time Liam had asked him that question, Theo had just looked at him, telling him he knew the reason why, but Theo sensed that Liam needed more than that now.

"Who else is gonna keep you alive, asshole?" Theo smirked. Liam rolled his eyes, but it was more fond than he probably meant it to be, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Theo sighed. "Look, this is where I want to be, here with you. But this isn't some Romeo and Juliet shit, okay? I'm not dying for you."

Liam bit his lip, and it drew Theo's gaze, the pull almost magnetic.

He swayed, and Liam's eyes widened as he stared up at him, his heart thundering. Theo felt a tingle in his fingers, an ache, a desperate desire, one so forbidden that he did not know if he dared take it. He hovered just out of reach, feeling the puff of Liam's breath against his lips, and squeezed his eyes shut.

His heart was thudding so hard and fast that it almost eclipsed the sound of the bullets still richoteing against the other side of the elevator doors, reminding Theo of what they are about to face. He was about to pull away when the lightest, softest, tentative brush of Liam's lips against his startled both of them. Liam squeaked, and Theo's eyes flew open, his whole vision filled with the deep blue of Liam's startled gaze.

They stood there, lips brushing for what felt like an age. Liam shivered, his lips gliding, and then Theo was pressing against him, hands deep in Liam's hair as he kissed him thoroughly, gently exploring his mouth with his tongue. Liam sighed into his mouth, his tongue tentatively meeting his own, and it was simultaneously the best and most terrifying thing that had ever happened to him.

Theo pulled away reluctantly, hands soft as they slid down over Liam's shoulders and then dropped back to his sides. Liam took a shaky breath, eyes fluttering as they opened, his breath coming from him in pants. He raised a finger to his lips, brushing over them, looking shocked.

He had kissed Liam. Liam had kissed him back. He wanted to do it again. He wanted to run away. He had no idea what he wanted. Theo stared at him, gut roiling, desperate for Liam to say something, anything.

"I'm not dying for you either," Liam said softly, eyes flicking up to meet Theo's. Theo stilled, tension strumming through him. "But I will fight with you."

Theo looked down, nodding, gathering himself, compartmentalising. The fight, that was what was important right now. They had to survive.

But he could not help the tiny light of hope flaring to life in his chest. The promise of maybe, of what might come after. He had something to fight for now. A pack, a mate, a future.

"Ok," Theo said, "let's fight."

The elevator doors opened, and they stood, side by side, fangs bared, claws unsheathed, snarling defiantly at the hunters. They launched into action, moving in perfect harmony, poetry in motion, veering to each side as they ran up the walls and launched at the two hunters, disarming them with one hand and knocking them out with the other. The hunters groaned as they fell to the ground, but Liam and Theo were already moving further down the hallway.

Theo lunged past one hunter, sliding along the ground, trusting Liam to have his back, while he took out the other, flinging him down onto the ground and kicking his gun away. The next hunter tried to grab him, and Theo shoved him back, crouching as Liam rolled over his back and kicked him, sending him flying backwards.

Neither of them were pulling their punches. These hunters should not be getting up anytime soon.

Liam used his momentum to shoot forward, grabbing the final hunter's gun and whirling around him, dropping down into a crouch behind him. Theo jumped, launching him through the air his boot catching the hunter in the middle of his chest and sending him careening over Liam. They grabbed an arm each, hauling him to his feet and throwing him to the side.

They turned, both picking up the sound of a gun cocking behind them. Before the hunter could get to his feet, Melissa whirled around the corner, a huge shock baton in her hand that she pressed into the middle of his back, sending him slumping back to the floor.

Nolan ran past her, scooping up a discarded gun and bringing it down on the other hunter that was trying to get to his feet. Theo scowled. Clearly he had not hit them hard enough. They all stared at each other, and then Nolan's eyes widened.

"Get down," he screamed.

They both turned, Theo's heart sinking at the sight of Gabe levelling a gun at them, his eyes dark with malicious intent as he squeezed the trigger.

Liam was already running, Theo's hand at his back as he tried to place himself as a human shield between them, his blood roaring in his ears as they both fell to the ground, Liam with a bullet to the thigh, and Theo grabbing his shoulder as a white-hot spike of agony ran through him, blood splattering from the wound.

He fell against the wall, panting, but Liam was already scrabbling to his feet, ignoring the pain as he lunged at Gabe, grappling for the gun. Theo glanced over at Melissa desperately, but she had found cover with Nolan, both of them peering out from around the corner. Nolan glanced at him,, and then darted out from his hiding spot, going around the corner. Theo turned back to Liam, eyes widening as he saw another hunter behind them, gun levelled at them as he yelled into a radio.

"I can't get a clear shot," he yelled. "What should I do?"

"Just shoot them," came Monroe's voice. "Shoot both of them."

Liam snarled, headbutting Gabe and then whirled towards the hunter, sending Gabe directly into the line of fire. One, two, three, four bullets hit him, scattered across his chest, and he slumped to the ground with a whimper. Nolan, lurking from behind, reared up behind the hunter and smashed him over the head with a fire extinguisher, sending him to the ground with a resolute thunk.

And then there was silence, broken only by the watery sound of Gabe trying to breathe, his lungs filling with blood.

Theo struggled to his feet, leaning against the wall. Melissa ran forward, helping Liam up. They all stood, watching as Gabe crawled forward, breath rattling as he turned, bracing himself against the wall. He coughed, blood so dark it was almost black dribbling from his mouth and onto his shirt.

"It hurts." His voice was breathy, filled with pain. "It hurts."

Theo walked towards him slowly, clutching his arm, his heart thudding painfully in his chest as an unfamiliar emotion filled him. It was like pity, but different, an understanding. He looked into Gabe's eyes and saw a scared boy, desperate for the pain to stop, someone who had been taken and twisted by another person into this dead thing that cared about nothing other than control and power.

He had heard of this feeling, had exploited in others, but had never experienced it himself.

 _Empathy._

He walked past Melissa and Liam, eyes following the trail of blood as he walked. He looked down at Gabe, this emotion, this empathy for the pain of another human being, completely overwhelming him. Tears welled in his eyes.

Suddenly, it didn't matter that they were enemies. That Gabe had hurt the people he cared for. All he saw was a mirror reflection of himself. Gabe was just a boy, a teenage boy, and he was dying.

Crouching down, he took Gabe's hand in his own, staring into his eyes as he pulled the pain away and into his own body, the black coiling up his body, liquid fire in his veins, making him shudder.

Slowly, the pained expression on Gabe's face fades, his eyelids drooping as he stared at something distant, something that Theo could not see.

"Does it hurt anymore?" He asked.

"No," Gabe said.

"Good," Theo breathed.

Gabe's eyes fluttered, closed, and then he was gone.

Theo stared at him, eyes glassy with unshed tears as he lowered Gabe's hand, setting it on his lap.

The static of the radio broke the silence.

"This is Monroe, someone report with a status. Now," she demanded.

Theo got to his feet, following as Liam pulled the radio from the pocket of one of the unconscious hunters.

"Someone respond," she panted. "Someone talk to me. What's happening? Someone pick up the radio and tell me what's happening."

Liam pressed the receiver, satisfaction clear in the silk-smooth tone of his voice. "You lost."

They left the unconscious hunters to the adults, thankful to hand everything over to people who actually knew what they were doing.

Wounded and battle-weary, they slunk back to Scott's house.

Brett and Lori were already there, letting them into the house and busying themselves passing out water and damp cloths and food so that everyone could rest while they waited to hear from Scott and the others.

Theo trudged upstairs, Liam not far behind him, and sank onto the edge of his bed, suddenly feeling about a hundred years old.

Liam flopped down onto Theo's bed with a sigh, starfishing across the middle of it, pressing his face into the blanket and inhaling. The only sounds to be heard were their breaths, the quiet thud of their hearts beating, and the hush of voices filtering through from downstairs.

A warm hand in the centre of his back was all that was needed to make Theo crumble as his walls shattered. He pressed his face into his hands, muffling a sob, his back shaking as he finally let go all of the emotions he had been painfully suppressing in the hospital.

Liam moved, sitting up and pulling Theo back onto the bed until his head was resting in his lap. He made soothing noises, petting a hand through Theo's hair, letting him release the maelstrom of emotions buried inside of him.

By the time he had calmed down, he felt numb, his eyes aching and his face wet. He scrubbed at his face with his hand, sniffling pathetically.

"Everything okay?" Mason asked from the doorway. Theo could not bring himself to care enough to lift his head from Liam's lap, resolutely ignoring him. Liam's hand paused, but then resumed its petting.

"Fine," he said quietly. "Did you hear from Scott?"

"On his way back now. Everything went pretty well on their end, from what I can gather," Mason explained.

"Ok," Liam said. "We'll be down soon."

Mason hummed thoughtfully but left. Liam said nothing, though his hands stilled, tangled in Theo's hair.

They could hear people arriving, and Theo sighed deeply, sitting up. "Thanks," he muttered, too embarrassed to look Liam in the eyes. He had just lost it, crying all over him like a child.

"Theo," Liam said, and despite his shame, he looked up and met Liam's gaze. "You're allowed to cry, and be sad that someone died. I'm not," he trailed off, frowning. "I didn't like the guy, but he was scared, and he got carried away, but he didn't deserve to die."

He nodded, reaching out and taking Liam's left hand, squeezing it in gratitude. Liam smiled, and he returned it weakly.

Liam flopped back onto the bed, squirming. "I don't want to leave this bed ever," he sighed.

"Something you wanna tell me, Liam?" Theo said, eyes twinkling as he allowed the moment to fall away.

"It's hard and soft at the same time," Liam giggled. "Like a dick. A bed of dicks."

He lost it, laughing, and Theo shook his head, getting up.

"Dude," he dead-panned. "I don't want anything to do with your dick bed. You're on your own"

Liam snorted, rolling onto his back and looking up at him. Despite his words, Theo's eyes were soft and fond as he looked down at him.

"Come on," he said, head tilted towards the door. Liam was still giggling like a little kid as he got up, following him out the door, slipping his hand back into his.

Theo glanced at him, surprised, but Liam just smirked at him as he intertwined their fingers.

There was dried blood on Scott's cheeks and Theo felt his stomach clench as his mind tried to rationalise any other explanation other than the obvious. He winced, looking away, completely unable to imagine what kind of person you would have to be, how much courage you would need, to crush your own eyes.

This was why Scott was the true alpha, and not him.

Feeling nauseous, he tuned out the conversation. Everyone had survived, what more did he need to know?

Once everyone had debriefed and looked around in awe that, for once, no one from their pack had died, they all started to leave.

All that was left was Theo, Liam, and of course Scott.

He stood, looking at them, at their clasped hands.

"So, is this," he said slowly, gesturing to them, "a thing now?"

Theo eyed him warily.

"Um, we haven't really-" He glanced at Theo.

"-talked about it yet?" Theo finished for him, raising an eyebrow as he returned Liam's gaze. Liam bit his lip, blushing lightly.

"Right," Scott said slowly. He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Theo, I wanted to apologise."

Liam squeezed his hand, and he took a shaky breath as he looked back at Scott.

"I handed everything really badly, and I really upset you," Scott said. His expression was pained, as if hurting Theo had really hurt him. Theo frowned. "If I had just tried a little harder, you wouldn't have been tortured. I'm so, so sorry."

"I don't care about that," Theo said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, looking surprised.

He stepped forward, placing himself in between Scott and Liam, his wolf's hackles rising. He had been turning over what he had wanted to say to Scott in his mind for days now, and it was finally time to lance the wound.

"You hurt Liam, Scott," Theo growled. "You knew what would happen when you cut the string and you did it anyway. And then, the fact that you would even consider-" He paused, feeling his anger rising. Liam brushed his thumb over Theo's hand soothingly, and Theo closed his eyes, allowing the motion to calm him.

Liam sighed. "This bond, it doesn't belong to you, Scott. You don't get a say in it. You don't get to touch it, or break it." Theo nodded, agreeing with Liam. "Only we get to decide that."

"I'm sorry," Scott said unhappily.

"We know," Liam nodded. "I won't say it's forgotten, not yet, but I forgive you."

"Thank you," Scott said, his voice hoarse. "I don't deserve it."

"You're a good alpha," Liam shrugged. "You're just really shit at explaining things."

"I'll do better," Scott promised. Theo nodded, meeting Scott's gaze.

Forgiven, but not forgotten, not yet. He could live with that.


	23. Chapter 23

Liam had not been able to bring himself to go home. Not only because it was probably empty, but because the thought of leaving the pack made him feel cold. His wolf wanted to den with the pack, to stay here where it was safe. It was clear that everyone else had felt the same way, all shuffling back into Scott's place sheepishly bearing sleeping bags and blankets.

So they had set themselves up in the McCall house, sprawled over every couch, covering the floor, human and werewolf and chimera alike. Liam was squished on the couch between Mason and Theo, with Corey on Mason's other side. The heavy weight of them on either side of him was exactly what he needed, what his wolf needed. No one made comment of the fact that Theo was there. Liam had glared all of them into were no reluctant allies anymore. They had survived a war. They were one pack.

Stiles had chosen the latest Thor movie, and Liam lost himself in the plot, surprised by how much he laughed at it. He had not felt like smiling after the events of the past few weeks, but the plot had him so absorbed that he had forgotten about anything else.

Theo had snickered in his ear as Thor threw his brother Loki into the guards. "We're so doing that," he murmured.

"It'll be me throwing you," Liam said firmly.

"You're shorter," Theo pointed out.

"I'm stronger," Liam argued.

"I'll throw both of you if you don't shut up," Malia growled. They looked at each other, lips quirking, but settled back into the couch to watch the movie.

By the time it was over, Liam's eyes were drooping, struggling to stay awake for the after-credit scenes that Marvel were infamous for. He stifled a yawn, rubbing his tired eyes. Finally, it was over, and Malia and Scott drifted away, taking Lori and Lydia with them. Melissa would be staying at the hospital, so the girls were taking her bed.

Mason and Corey were already wrapped around each other. Glancing at the other couch, Liam was surprised to see Stiles asleep on Derek's shoulder, mouth wide open as he snored lightly. Derek was looking down at him, a tender smile on his face.

Brett was sprawled out on the floor in a pile of cushions and a big fluffy blanket, also asleep.

Finally, Liam turned slightly to look at Theo, who was fast asleep, curled into Liam's side. He nudged him, and Theo's eyes blinked open, a light frown on his face as he looked around.

"Come on," Liam whispered. "You'll be comfier in your bed."

Theo sighed, getting up with a grumble, feet dragging as he headed upstairs. Liam moved Mason and Corey's legs up onto the couch, placing a blanket over them. Corey squinted at him.

"You going to bed?" He asked, voice hoarse.

"Yeah, good night," Liam said.

"Night," Corey hummed, nuzzling into Mason's side and closing his eyes.

With a nod at Derek, Liam followed Theo upstairs. He stood at the door, watching as Theo crawled into bed, his clothes already discarded on the floor. Liam kicked off his shoes, before pulling off his jeans and socks, and finally his shirt.

He climbed in beside Theo, who pulled him close immediately, clinging to him like a koala. Liam blinked at him, surprised, but slowly wrapped his arms around the other boy. He was far too tired to question things, and, surrounded by the warmth and soothing scent of his mate, he fell asleep.

Liam woke to the stench of fear.

The room was cold, the window open, curtains fluttering in the breeze. Liam sat up slowly, looking around for Theo. He was gone, the red string looping from the bed to the window. Liam padded to it, poking his head out and finding Theo sitting on the roof, his arms wrapped around his legs, shivering.

"Theo?"

There was no response. He glanced around, biting his lip and wondering what he should do. The red string was shivering in his hand, fear and guilt and anguish soaking into it, making it seem duller than usual. Liam tightened his jaw and turned back to the room, pulling the blanket off of the bed and climbing out the window.

"It's me, Theo," he said softly, hand hovering over his back. Theo tensed, but did not lash out.

Liam sat down behind Theo slowly, being careful not to make any sudden moves. When that still elicited no response, he reached out, pressing a hand to Theo's back. He sighed, shrinking in on himself.

"Come here," Liam said, reaching with his other hand to pull Theo back flush against his chest. Theo complied, and Liam tried not to wince at how cold his skin was. "I've got you," he said gently, wrapping the blanket around both of them.

It made Liam remember when Hayden had left, when he had been wrapped up like a blanket burrito in Scott's bed, the pack snuggling up to him, their voices drifting around him as he stared at the wall. It had helped, though, that warmth and reassurance.

His hands were pressed against Theo's chest, holding him close. The tiles were still quite cold underneath them, but their cocoon of warmth in the blanket burrito soon stopped Theos' tremors.

"You wanna talk about it?" Liam asked.

Theo shook his head and Liam reached to grab his hand, wrapping his fingers around his wrist and the red string.

"Hey," he said gently. "It's just me."

Theo shuddered, finally softening and leaning back into his chest. "I know," he whispered. "It's just-"

Liam waited, running his thumb over the string and Theo's wrist, feeling his pulse start to slow. Theo moved their hands so that they rested over his heart.

"This isn't mine," he said in a strangled voice. "It's Tara's."

"What do you mean?" Liam asked. He tightened his arms around Theo's body, hoping that he could take strength from him.

"I was a frail little kid. In and out of hospital all the time. I had asthma, and a heart condition, which didn't mix well," Theo explained, swallowing thickly. Liam felt his heart ache, having a pretty good idea where this was going.

"The dread doctors," he whispered.

"Yeah," Theo said. "They wanted me for their experiments, so they killed my parents, and they killed Tara, and they put her heart in my chest. They made me think I killed them, that if anyone found out I'd be thrown into jail for the rest of my life. I believed them, I believed it was my fault."

Liam could feel the shudder in Theo's chest, smell the salt of his tears.

"Theo," he said, burying his face in the other boy's neck. "You were just a kid."

"I know that," Theo said, "I mean, intellectually, I know I was just a kid, and that they manipulated me. But I still feel it, the guilt, the fear."

"I get it," Liam muttered, remembering the awful rush of emotions that never failed to through him into a dark spiral after one of his IED outbursts. "Is that what you dream about?"

"No," Theo whispered. The fear was back, stronger than ever, Theo almost crushing Liam's hand into his chest. "She comes for her heart."

"What?" Liam breathed. His wolf stood, hackles rising, teeth bared. "She can't have it," he growled.

"Liam?" Theo asked, turning slightly to look at him, eyes wide.

"It's mine," his wolf growled, claws digging into Theo's skin, drawing blood. Theo looked into his glowing yellow eyes, searching them, before nodding and turning to lean back against him, baring his neck.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "It is."

Liam eventually managed to convince Theo to go back in to his room, tucking him into bed. It was still early but Liam was wide awake, so, as soon as Theo drifted to sleep, he wandered downstairs.

He tiptoed past the lounge room and into the kitchen, surprised to see Mason already standing in front of the kettle and waiting for it to boil.

"Hey," he whispered, nudging him.

"Hey," Mason said, giving him a tired smile. "You couldn't sleep either?"

Liam grabbed another mug, handing it to Mason, who added the coffee grounds and milk. "Nah, Theo had a nightmare. He only just went back to sleep."

Mason hummed thoughtfully, but busied himself pouring the now boiling water into their cups. He picked up both cups, walking out with Liam trailing after him. They sat on the back step, both sipping their coffees in comfortable silence.

"You know, we haven't really had a chance to talk about the Theo thing, yet," Mason said quietly.

"I know," Liam sighed. "Stupid hunters."

"Yeah," Mason said, cracking a smile. "How dare they interfere with your love life."

Liam screwed up his nose and Mason chuckled. "Love life? Really?"

"What would you call it then?"

"I have no idea," Liam muttered. "It's confusing."

"Tell me about it," Mason agreed. "No really, tell me, because I am so far behind on what is going on with you two."

Liam fiddled with the string, sending his mind along it instinctively and falling into Theo's dream. Theo was a wolf running through the preserve, carefree. He paused, glancing back at him, but Liam waved him on with an apologetic wave of his hand. He woke suddenly, Mason's hand on his arm.

"Liam," he whispered urgently.

"Sorry, I'm fine," Liam said. "I just, yeah, I'm still getting used to this whole connection thing."

"The red string of fate," Mason said with a frown. "Soulmates."

"Yeah," Liam sighed. "Apparently."

"I didn't even know you liked guys," Mason muttered.

"Neither did I," Liam said, rolling his shoulders as he tilted his head to the side. "I don't know if I would have even considered it." He trailed off, glancing at Mason.

"If it wasn't for Theo and the string," Mason finished.

"Yeah, I guess," Liam shrugged. "He's my anchor, and he's important. Whether it goes deeper than that, well, I don't know."

"You seem, like, really possessive of him," Mason pointed out.

"That's my wolf," Liam said, worrying at his lip. "It wants Theo. I just don't know if I do yet."

"But you might?" Mason pressed.

"Maybe," Liam sighed. "I mean, he kissed me."

"What?" Mason hissed, eyes bugging out of his head. "When?"

"At the hospital, in the elevator, and I- I kissed him back," Liam said, sounding lost.

Mason stared at him, and Liam looked away, his cheeks flushing. "What was it like?" Mason asked curiously.

"Nice," Liam breathed. "But, I don't know. I'm confused."

"Don't rush into anything," Mason advised, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. "Give yourself some time to figure out how you feel, not just the wolf."

"Yeah," Liam sighed.

"And maybe stop sleeping in his bed, dude," Mason smirked. "Might give the poor guy mixed signals."

Liam frowned. "I think he needs it though. His nightmares, god, they're horrible. I wish there was something I could do to help."

"You could get him a dreamcatcher," Mason suggested.

"What? Why?" Liam asked. "Those don't work."

"They do, actually," Mason informed him. "If you get the real thing instead of a cheap knock-off. They just have to have some sort of talisman to power them."

"Like what?" Liam asked, heart racing.

"It can be anything really," Mason mused. "It just has to have meaning and power to the person it's for."

"What are they made out of?"

"Well, string, generally," Mason said, giving him a weird look. "Why? Are you gonna actually make one?"

"Yeah, I think I will."

Mason sent him in the direction of Deaton, who gave him the other items he would need.

He isolated himself out in the preserve, everything sitting in front of him. A long supple piece of mountain ash that he had tied into a round hoop, a few silvery feathers, the origin of which Deaton would not divulge, the ball of red string, and finally a small piece of metal:

A piece of Kira's sword that still crackled with power as he touched it.

Liam got to work, his hands soon burning, blood dripping from them as he wound the red string around and around the mountain ash hoop, staining the wood red. There was no rhyme or reason to the pattern. He went entirely on instinct, the red string wrapping around the metal, absorbing the power and magnifying it. Liam grit his teeth as the pain began to overwhelm him, but he was determined to finish it. Theo was in his mind's eye, screaming for help as he was dragged below the ground, and then crying as he crushed Liam's hand against his chest. Never again. It would never happen again. Liam would protect him.

He gasped, sweat pouring down his face as he looked down at the finished product.

It was completely red, Liam's blood covering every inch of the dreamcatcher, even congealing in the feathers that trailed below it. Liam had used the entire ball of red string, and the intricacy of the pattern surprised him. It was beautiful, in a horrifying kind of way.

"What do I do with it when it's done?" He had asked Deaton.

"Put it under his bed, directly under where his head would be," Deaton had advised.

Liam waited until Theo left Scott's house, sneaking in and tucking it under the mattress beneath Theo's pillow.

"What if he doesn't sleep there?" He had asked.

"Then either he takes it with him or he has nightmares," Deaton shrugged.

Liam stared down at his still healings hands. It would be worth it, all of the pain would be worth it, if it helped remove the haunted look from Theo's eyes. Liam wouldn't let Tara take Theo's heart. Never again.

The pack spent pretty much the entire weekend together. No one was able to leave, drifting back in looking anxious if they were gone for longer than an hour or two. They puppy piled and watched movies and just basked in the safety of all of them together.

It was Sunday night when Derek walked in with Peter.

"You all look pathetic," Peter said cheerfully. Liam glanced up from where he was sandwiched between Lori and Theo, playing video games. The rest of the pack was also gathered around them, all of them touching in some way. Their anxiety was growing more the closer it got to Monday morning, when they would all be forced to go back to the real world; to school, to work, to college.

Scott stood slowly, eyes narrowed. Peter was the only one that had not joined them after the hospital, claiming he was not interested in hanging out with a bunch of teenagers. Which, Liam had thought, was probably fair, but it still placed him firmly on the outer.

"What do you want, Peter?" Scott asked, looking between him and Derek.

"Derek told me about how mopey you all are. So I made a few phone calls," Peter said.

Malia rose as well, looking confused. "What phone calls?"

"You've all been excused from your responsibilities for the next week," Peter explained, looking at her. "You're going on a holiday."

"A holiday?" Stiles asked from where he lounged on the couch, his feet resting on the coffee table.

"Yep, we're all going," Derek said with a smirk. "A nice private little house by the beach."

Liam glanced at Theo, who looked as confused as he felt.

"And it's on me," Peter grinned.

Just then the door opened, and Jackson and Ethan walked in, another boy in tow. Liam didn't recognise him, but from the way Scott's jaw dropped, it was clear that he did.

"Isaac?" He breathed.

"What did I miss?" Isaac asked, giving Scott a shy smile.


	24. Chapter 24

Theo drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, idly wondering how this had become his life now. They were on their way to whatever holiday house Peter had booked, a convoy of cars with Derek leading in some sleek looking black car that made Theo's mouth water a bit. Stiles was following behind in his jeep, with Lydia's little sports car behind him and Theo bringing up the rear.

Liam was curled up in the passenger seat, hunched over and squinting at his phone. Corey and Mason were cuddled up in the backseat, Corey staring out the window while Mason drooled on his shoulder. The back of his truck was filled with their bags and a huge pile of pillows and blankets. Theo had already threatened to make Liam spend the rest of the trip out there as well if he did not stop peppering him with questions while he was driving. Hence the sulky silence.

He coiled the string around one of his fingers, stroking it idly until Liam looked calmer, letting out a deep breath and scooting into a more comfortable position. Theo glanced at him and smiled, looking back at the road.

It could be worse.

Intellectually, Liam had known that the pack was pretty big, but it was not until they pulled up in front of the mansion needed to house all of them that Liam considered quite how many people there were. Despite the size of the house, people still needed to share rooms. Mason glanced at him, but Liam studiously avoided his knowing gaze as he followed Theo into one of the bedrooms, chucking his bag onto the floor in front of the bed.

"This place is huge," Theo said, shaking his head as he tested the door in the right wall, finding a modest bathroom.

"It's ridiculous," Liam snorted, walking out onto the balcony and taking a deep breath of the salty air. Theo joined him, turning his face towards the sun, Liam peeking at him from the corner of his eye.

"I like it here already," Theo hummed, a peaceful look on his face.

Liam smiled, looking away before he could be caught staring. "Yeah," he agreed. "I can't wait to go check out the beach."

"We're on holiday, aren't we? Let's do it," Theo smirked.

Liam considered this, looking down at the beach, watching the waves crash against the shore. "Fuck it," he said, turning and heading back inside, ruffling through his bag to find his swimming trunks.

Theo changed in the bathroom, Liam watching the door with a wary eye as he changed in record time. He was debating shirt or no shirt when Theo walked out, clad in a pair of black trunks and nothing else, gleaming muscles on full display. Liam's eyes swept over his body before he was biting his lip and turning away, throwing his shirt back onto the bed and grabbing his towel.

"Let's go," he said weakly.

At some point he was going to have to address whatever these feelings were, but until then he was in firm denial.

They snuck out of the house, pretty much everyone still in their rooms and unpacking their stuff. Liam felt a little bad for skipping out, but it was hot and the water looked insanely good.

He paused, noticing a few surfboards leaning against the side of the house.

"What do you think?" He asked Theo, gesturing towards them.

"Maybe tomorrow," Theo said dismissively, eyes shining as he started down the small path to the private beach.

Liam trailed after him, breaking into a run when his feet hit the hot sand. It turned into a race pretty much straight away, both of them laughing as they pushed and shoved their way to the water, bickering and grinning.

They splashed and wrestled for awhile, until they got bored of trying to drown each other, instead standing side by side and gazing out at the horizon. Liam stood waist deep in the water, breathing in the smell of the sea, feeling his worries of the past few weeks washing away. Out here, there were no hunters, no one trying to kill him or kidnap his friends, just the waves relentlessly washing onto the shore and the harsh cries of seagulls circling overhead.

"I needed this," Liam admitted quietly.

"Yeah," Theo agreed. "Me too."

Liam turned to look at him,surprised by the awed smile on Theo's face as he ran his fingers over the waves breaking around him.

"Have you been in the ocean before?" Liam asked.

"Nope," Theo said, shoulders tensing slightly.

"Right," Liam said awkwardly. "Well, watch out for sharks."

"The Dread Doctors tried to make a shark chimera once," Theo said after a moment.

"And how did that go?" Liam asked, bemused.

"You don't want to know," Theo shuddered.

"Did they have a tail?" Liam asked, curiousity overwhelming him. There had been that guy at Sinema who had had those big spikes coming out of his arms so it was possible.

"Oh yeah," Theo nodded. "And like, 300 teeth."

"How do you fit 300 teeth in a human mouth?" Liam said, reaching up to run a hand over his own mouth, feeling the teeth behind his lips.

"You don't," Theo said firmly.

Liam grimaced, letting his hand drop back to his side. The Dread Doctors had a lot to answer for, really. Gross.

When they eventually returned to the house, they found everyone lying around in the lounge room, bowls of popcorn littering the room as yet another Marvel movie played on the enormous tv.

"How was the water?" Scott asked.

"Amazing," Liam said, poking his head in from the hallway, trying not to drip onto the carpet. "What are you watching?"

"Doctor Strange," Stiles said. "Now shoosh."

Liam wrinkled up his nose. Benedict Cumberbatch was not his jam. A lot of girls thought he was sexy, but Liam thought he looked like a horse.

"Pass," he said, continuing on down the hallway. Theo had gone ahead of him, and Liam could hear the shower running already. He wrapped his towel around his waist, moving out onto the balcony and sitting in one of the chairs as he stared back out at the ocean.

It was not that long ago that Liam would have called someone crazy if they had said he could spend a whole day in Theo's company and be perfectly content. A month, maybe even less, but Liam had really enjoyed himself. They fought a lot, but it was not intended to hurt anymore. It was more teasing than anything else.

Despite that, Liam had noticed that Theo's smiles rarely ever reached his eyes. He counted it as a personal victory every time he managed to make him genuinely smile, his eyes twinkling.

Normally he was shaking his head at some stupid thing Liam had done, smile tugging at the corner of his lips, then slowly widening as he tried to hold in his laughter. Theo laughed even less than he smiled. Real laughter anyway. He snickered a lot, like one of those cartoon villains. Liam liked to picture him twirling a moustache while he did it.

He smiled, leaning back in the chair, staring up at the sky.

"Shower's free," Theo said from inside. Liam turned slightly, seeing him towelling at his hair, dressed in a pair of long black athletic shorts.

"Thanks," Liam said, standing and walking back inside, rifling through his bag to grab a pair of sweats and a clean pair of boxers. He walked into the bathroom, glad to see that Theo had left him a dry towel.

He showered quickly, washing the salt and sand from his skin, before drying himself and getting dressed. When he walked back into their room, it was to find Theo sprawled out on the bed, flicking through his phone.

"Wanna go join the others now?" Liam asked, standing at the end of the bed.

"Yeah, I'll fall asleep if I stay here any longer," Theo said, sitting up with a sigh.

They trudged back into the lounge room, Liam flopping down beside Mason, while Theo grabbed one of the bean bags, sitting next to Lori. Doctor Strange must have finished, because they had moved on to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Liam soaked up the scent of the pack, feeling completely at ease. People came and went throughout the afternoon as they put on movie after movie, making a pretty decent dent in their Marvel collection.

Mason and Corey snuck away, and Liam sprawled out on the couch, happily hogging the whole thing to himself. He glanced around, stilling as he watched the way Derek, Scott and Isaac were interacting with a puzzled frown.

He turned back to the movie but kept looking back at them, his eyes drawn like magnets.

They seemed to be in constant contact. Derek had an arm around Isaac's shoulders, playing with the fine hairs at the back of his neck. Whereas Scott was lying down on the couch with his head in Isaac's lap, smiling up at him, both hands tangled in Isaac's, which was resting against his chest. The easy and comfortable way they touched each other spoke of familiarity and pack and home, and it made Liam confused. He felt sad and jealous and a little bit resentful, though he did not understand why. The pack touched him like that as well, it was normal. Why was this effecting him so much?

He looked away, eyes happening to land on Theo, who was also watching the three boys with a look of such naked longing on his face that Liam gasped. Theo's eyes shot up to his and his whole face closed off immediately, emotions locked down once more. Liam stared at him, but Theo studiously avoided his gaze for the rest of the movie, jaw clenched.

It played in the back of his mind for the rest of the day, ticking over in his subconscious.

Dinner was loud and messy. Derek and Scott had fired up the barbeque outside, cooking huge piles of meat, while Liam was bullied into helping Lydia and Mason with the rabbit food in the kitchen. He stood at the counter while the other two passed him things to chop with a really big knife, pretty much the only reason he hadn't already tried to sneak out. Cooking was not his forte. He had the basics down, enough to keep himself alive, but that was about it.

The table groaned under the mountains on food placed on it, and Liam piled his plate high, grumbling as he added tiny portions of salad under Lydia's watchful eye.

Mason hung back, eyes wide as he watched the wolves circle the table.

"Intense," he breathed.

Liam quirked a smile at him, before grabbing a can of soda from the end of the table and heading outside to the table and chairs out the back. Theo was already sitting there digging into his own plate, so Liam sat down beside him with a happy sigh.

"This looks amazing," he said, eyes gleaming as he looked down at the food.

"I think you're supposed to eat it, not admire it," Brett snickered, sliding in beside him, Lori sitting on his other side.

"I will, I am," Liam protested.

"No need to take a photo and put it on instagram," Brett continued. "Your three followers won't care."

Liam spluttered indignantly. "I have more than three followers."

"Liam," Theo said, nudging him. "Just eat."

He scowled down at his plate, spearing a sausage with his fork. "Douche," he grumbled. Brett laughed.

Everyone else started to filter outside as well, and soon the night air was filled with the sounds of chatter and laughter, everyone talking over the top of each other. Liam basked in it, beaming happily, feeling contentment coming from the red string he stroked through his fingers.

Being one of the people who helped to prepare the food ended up being a bonus when he was allowed to dodge clean-up duty. Instead, he and Mason were in charge of choosing the first game to play. They ventured inside, finding the games room and examining the huge selection of games there.

"This one looks interesting," Mason said, holding up a yellow and green box.

"Who's the dude?" Liam said, taking the box from him.

There was a picture of a man with his arm around what appeared to be a blow up doll. The text read - Play charades with the dude! Game contains a life size inflatable dude!

"So it's essentially charades with a blow up doll?" Liam asked.

"Yep," Mason said.

"Fuck yeah," Liam grinned. "Let's do it."

They took the game outside with them, finding everyone sitting back around the table. Liam opened the box, looking around the table with glee as he pulled out the plastic doll, starting to inflate it.

"Is that?" Theo asked, trailing off.

"You better believe it," Liam smirked.

"Ok then," Theo shrugged.

When it was inflated, Liam wasn't sure if he was pleased or disappointed that there were no holes in the thing. The Dude was dressed like a 70's gym teacher, complete with short shorts, aviators and a porn-stache.

"Pass me the rules," Lydia said, holding her hand out. Liam dug through the box and handed them over to her. Settling back in his chair with the dude in his lap.

"Oh, I gotta get a picture of this," Stiles said from beside Lydia. Liam posed, one arm draped around the dude with a suggestive smile while Stiles snapped a picture. The other boy sent it to him straight away, and Liam laughed, showing it to Theo.

"Send it to me," Theo demanded. Liam did so, watching with a bemused grin as Theo saved it as his home screen.

"Dickhead," he said fondly. Theo just stared at his screen, a stupid grin on his face.

Lydia cleared her throat, holding the rules in her hand. Everyone turned to look at her, waiting expectantly.

"Ok," she said. "Shuffle the cards before you start the game. The youngest player starts. The play moves clockwise. Perform as many charades as you can until the 45 seconds are up. Read the underlined sentence aloud. For example What are we doing? or What sport is this? and act out (without any sound) what's on the card together with the Dude until somebody guesses the right answer."

"Sounds simple enough," Stiles said.

"Who's the youngest?" Isaac asked, looking at where the puppies had congregated down at one end of the table. Brett and Liam both looked at Lori, who sighed.

"Give it here then," she grumbled.

"Be gentle with my boyfriend," Liam said solemnly, leaning over Brett to pass him to her. "No claws."

"Noted," she said dryly.

"We have too many people," Stiles said, looking at the rules over Lydia's shoulder. "It suggests splitting into teams."

"Boys versus girls?" Scott suggested.

"No way dude, there's way more guys than girls," Stiles said.

"So?" Scott asked.

"So, it would be embarrassing when the girls fucking creamed us," Stiles laughed.

Lydia smirked and Lori laughed. "At least they know," Lydia said with a wink.

"What about old pack versus new pack?" Liam suggested. They looked around the table, everyone nodding and shrugging.

"Oh, it's on," Derek grinned. "We're gonna make you puppies cry."

"You wish," Scott smirked. "My betas are awesome."

"You were my beta once," Derek pointed out.

"Technically, if I was anyone's beta, it was Peter's," Scott raised an eyebrow at him. "I never actually joined your pack."

"Ouch," Isaac laughed.

"Harsh, Scott," Derek pouted.

"The teams are uneven," Jackson pointed out. "There's only four of us and eight of you."

"Suck it up, Whitmore," Stiles smirked.

It was left unsaid that if there weren't certain people missing, there wouldn't be such a big gap between the teams, but Derek's shoulders slumped slightly regardless.

"I'll join your team," Lydia said gently, moving over to sit beside Derek, rubbing his arm. He glanced at her, smiling softly.

"Ugh, fine," Stiles said.

"Stiles," Scott protested.

"Sorry dude," Stiles said, saluting him as he moved to sit at the other end of the table.

"The betrayal is real tonight," Scott pouted.

They started the game, and it was a bit awkward and stilted at first, but soon they all got into it, their competitive natures flaring as they laughed and jeered and cheered, exchanging ridiculous insults with the other team.

When it was Liam's turn, he grabbed a handful of cards, smirking as he flicked through them.

"Ok," he said. "What's up with the Dude?"

He pulled the arms up onto one side of his head, tilting it, making it look like he was sleeping.

"Sleepy!" Scott called.

"Close enough," Liam said, turning the card around. "What's up with the Dude?"

He pantomimed cutting off one of his arms. He heard Stiles laughing, glancing up in time to see him hitting Derek in the chest. Derek laughed as well. Liam assumed there was a story there.

"Amputation?" Theo asked.

"Yep," Liam said, turning the card over. "Ok, what is the Dude doing?"

He jumped up and down, making stupid faces as he showed the Dude doing flips and kicking up his legs.

"Oh, oh," Lori said. "Jumping on a trampoline!"

"Bingo!" Liam said, throwing the card away. He was nearly out of time. Liam looked at the new card, a wide smirk on his face. "Use the Dude as…"

He held the Dude against his body, pretending to kiss him, spreading his legs and humping him. Everyone was laughing too hard to answer, Brett actually falling out of his chair and rolling on the ground, tears streaming from his eyes. Liam was pretty sure that Theo was filming him, but he just winked at him.

The timer sounded and Liam fell back into his chair with a snigger. "We're so buying this game," he said to Mason.

"Definitely," Mason agreed.

By the time the game ended, no one really cared what the score was, everyone too busy laughing at Jackson, who had been annoyed when no one had guessed his action, his claws piercing the Dude and deflating him. Liam pretended to sob over his body, clutching the dude to his chest.

"Put him on the table," Lydia smirked, holding up the patching kit. "We'll perform surgery."

Liam and Mason giggled as she tutted over the Dude, trying to patch up the claw marks Jackson had left. Eventually, she held him up.

"Good as it's gonna get," she stated, handing him over to Liam, snorting at the way it flopped in Liam's arms, mostly deflated. He blew new life back into him though, wiggling his eyebrows at Theo, who rolled his eyes.

They moved on to playing Uno, though the Dude was passed around for the rest of the night, treated like one of the pack, everyone posing with it and taking stupid photos. Liam had at least three photos of Theo with the Dude, putting his favourite on his instagram with the tag 'boyfriends' and a few heart-eye emojis.

When Liam finally went to to bed, he paused at the door, laughing loudly.

"What is it?" Theo asked sleepily from behind him.

"We have a visitor," Liam snickered, moving aside to let Theo peer into their room. The Dude had been placed in the middle of their bed. Liam took a snapchat, sending it to Mason - I know this was you! Through the wall, he clearly heard Mason's laughter.

Theo approached the doll, picking it up and throwing it out the room. "Not today, buddy," he advised, shutting the door firmly. Liam laughed, flopping down into the middle of the bed. Theo rolled his eyes, turning off the light and moving over to the bed.

"Move over, jerk," he grumbled, nudging Liam as he climbed under the blanket.

Liam wriggled under the blanket as well, cozying up to Theo. Briefly, he remembered Mason's words about mixed messages, but ignored it. He was tired and Theo was warm.

Theo stilled as Liam wrapped around him, pulling the other boy against his chest.

"Liam, I cannot sleep with you clinging to me like this," he said firmly.

"Fine," Liam pouted, moving back so that he just had an arm draped over Theo's hip. "Is that better?"

"I guess," Theo sighed, squirming around a bit as he got comfortable.

Liam drifted off to sleep, lulled by the faint sound of the waves and the rise and fall of Theo's chest.


	25. Chapter 25

Liam woke in slow increments, each sense engaging one by one. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach below, the smell of salt in the air, and the all-encompassing warmth of a body pressed to his and a steady heartbeat beneath his cheek.

Somehow, in the night, Liam and Theo had moved closer, Liam using Theo's chest as a pillow. His leg was pressed between Theo's muscular thighs, and as he shifted slightly, he felt a hard length pressed against it. Liam stilled, and blushed, worrying at his lower lip with his teeth as his mind raced. He glanced up at Theo, who was fast asleep, lips parted slightly as he breathed deeply. He looked younger, somehow, in the soft light of dawn, less troubled. Liam glanced back down.

Part of him was curious, wanting to lift the blanket and look, but the other, much louder part of himself, was embarrassed.

Before he could analyse it too much, he shifted slightly so that his nose was buried in Theo's neck, allowing his scent to soothe him. Guys got hard all the time, it was just morning wood, no need to freak out about it. Satisfied, he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

By the time he awoke a second time, light was streaming through the windows and the shower was running in the bathroom. Liam stretched, his eyes blinking open.

It took a few moments to realise that he was still rock hard, the sheet tented around his erection. He glanced at the bathroom door and then back down at his dick. He had been plastered across Theo's chest. There was no way that Theo wouldn't have noticed, and he blushed furiously as he scrambled out of bed, blanket wrapped around him as he charged out of the room in a blind panic.

Scott was in the lounge room watching cartoons when Liam staggered into the room and flopped onto the couch, so tightly wrapped in his blanket that he couldn't move, his head in Scott's lap.

"Everything alright?" Scott asked, sounding concerned.

Liam shook his head vehemently, burying his face against the blanket, utterly mortified.

"You wanna talk about it?" Scott pressed.

"Nope, never," Liam growled.

He felt hot in the blanket, his cheeks on fire, but he was never leaving it, never, never, never. Scott sighed, stroking his hand through Liam's hair, soothing him.

Liam closed his eyes, ignoring everything else around him. What was it about Theo that had him so shook? He had kissed Theo and enjoyed it, and liked cuddling with him and waking in his arms. His wolf always seemed to preen under whatever attention Theo bestowed upon him. It had never reacted like this to Hayden.

Or maybe his morning boner was just a reaction to waking up next to another warm body? He sighed. Feelings were confusing.

He resolved to avoid Theo and ask Mason about it later. With this decided, he opened his eyes to distract himself with childish cartoons.

Theo heard the door slam shut and frowned, hand rubbing idly over the string he held in his hand. Liam had been dreaming, something good, something hot. The smell of lust had woken him and Theo had stared at the back of Liam's head, eyes wide, his cock hard and throbbing. Liam was also hard, all but lying on top of him, hips circling as he whimpered into Theo's chest.

He had panicked, slipping out from underneath him, and standing at the edge of the bed, watching a crease form in between Liam's eyebrows as his arm smoothed along the bed, looking for something. Looking for me, Theo realised. The string was in his hands, almost burning him, and the temptation to follow it into Liam's dream was strong. He closed his eyes, a hint of skin on skin echoing through his mind before he dropped it, pedalling backwards, and rushing into the bathroom, leaning his forehead against the closed door with a muttered curse.

It felt like a betrayal, entering his mind like that, but Theo was desperate for a sign that Liam wanted him as badly as Theo wanted him.

Liam hadn't said anything after their talk with Scott, and he had woken up after his nightmare to find him gone. He had no idea what Liam was thinking and it terrified him that Liam had this much power over him. It was almost better when he didn't know about the red string, because at least then Theo could tell himself that there was hope.

He was so out of his depth it wasn't funny. With a growl he shoved his shorts down and turned on the shower, stepping under the cold spray, gritting his teeth in a silent snarl as it cooled his ardour. Slowly, it heated up, and Theo turned himself to the task of washing. He was nearly finished when he heard the slam.

Liam had woken up then.

A hand rubbing along the string sent a wave of embarrassment burning through him and Theo frowned down at it. Why was Liam embarrassed?

He shut off the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his hips as he re-entered their room. A deep sniff confirmed what he already knew and he stared thoughtfully down at their bed as he dried off and dressed in a clean pair of sweats.

Theo left the room cautiously, pausing at the door to the lounge room, watching as Scott carded his fingers through Liam's hair. Whatever it was, it had upset Liam enough to seek out his alpha. He bit his lip, stepping into the room and sitting down on one of the bean bags, pretending to watch the tv as well, his every sense attuned to the beta.

Liam visibly stiffened, staring at him, before rolling off of the couch and immediately leaving the room. Theo's shoulders slumped as he sighed. So it was something to do with him then.

All day, Theo tried to approach Liam, and each time he ran away. Gone was the easy camaraderie of the day before, and Theo was baffled to say the least. His wolf whined in his chest, missing his mate, wanting to bury his face in Liam's neck and inhale his scent.

The mood seems to be absorbed by the rest of the pack, who were snappish and sullen, just too many people in the one space. The only one who seemed to be having a good time was Scott, who was almost glowing.

Theo studied him for awhile, watching how he calmed the others down with a hand on their shoulder or hug, a happy puppy wagging his tail.

He was drunk on power, Theo eventually realised. He had never had so much of his pack in the one place and it was affecting him, making him stronger. Derek seemed to realise this as well, grabbing Scott by the scruff of his neck and dragging him out of the house and down to the beach.

Liam had already headed down there earlier with Mason and Corey with the surfboards, and Theo was now left feeling bereft. No Liam and no Scott. What was he supposed to do now? Of course, at that moment, Brett sidled up next to him, following his gaze.

"No one want to hang out with you today?" Brett smirked. "Poor little Theo."

"I'm not in the mood, Brett," Theo grumbled, pushing away from the window and stalking back towards his room.

"Don't walk away from me," Brett snarled.

Theo stilled, head turning at the threat in Brett's voice. His eyes were glowing yellow and Theo turned fully, studying him.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Theo asked, bewildered. "What the fuck did I do to make you be at me like this?

"I've heard all about you," Brett said, eyes narrowed. "You're a psychopath. I don't need a reason to hate you."

"I'm not like that anymore," Theo snapped, crossing his arms defensively.

Brett's laugh was mocking. "Oh yeah, I forgot, now you're just a loser trailing after Liam like a lost puppy. You're both fucking pathetic. Liam's a powder keg waiting to explode and you're the one holding the matches."

"That's enough," Mason said coldly. Theo glanced at him, seeing Mason standing by the door, an unfriendly look on his face, with Corey and Liam standing behind him. Theo tried to catch Liam's eye but he averted his gaze and he felt his stomach drop.

He whirled on his heel, storming into their room and slamming the door shut behind him.

A knock sounded on the door a few hours later. Theo resolutely ignored it, staring out at the sea from his seat on the balcony. He heard the door open.

"Theo?" Derek called.

"Out here," he muttered. At least it wasn't Liam.

Derek moved onto the balcony, looking sheepish.

"So you're not what I expected." He said plainly, his thick eyebrows knitting together as he lent against the railing, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Not the big bad monster everyone made me out to be?" Theo scoffed taking a drink from the mug he had brought out with him.

"You're more together, actually." Derek shrugged "I guess resurrection looks different on everyone."

"You've seen it before?" Theo asked after a long moment.

"You're not the first; Peter, me, Scott, we've all been dead for a moment or two- and somehow we all got better." He offered a small smile before looking down at his bare feet.

"Did they tell you how I came back? About the whole me and Liam being tied up in red string thing?"

"Yeah Stiles may have ranted for a good hour about it the first night we got here." Derek always seemed warmer somehow whenever Stiles was concerned; there was definitely something more there, Theo was sure. He'd seen the looks and the gentle touches when they thought no one else was looking. "Sometimes you have to be patient; not everyone feels everything at the same time."

"You mean with the pack- I don't deserve their forgiveness." Theo said sadly, looking up at the former Alpha.

"I mean with Liam. He's already forgiven you- and in my experience, the sooner you realise this and stop beating yourself up, the sooner happy happens."

"He'd be happier without me." Theo muttered, shutting his eyes tight.

"Look, the sooner you get your head out of your ass and see that the way you look at him is the way he is looking at you and the only thing standing in your way is-"

"Are we even still talking about me now? Liam doesn't want me like that." Theo snapped, cutting Derek off mid rant.

"Liam doesn't know what he wants- he's a kid. Be patient; Good things will happen." Derek said, scratching at his beard and fighting back a smile. "Really good things."

Theo rolled his eyes at the hint of lust rolling from Derek as he turned away, patting him once on the shoulder before letting himself back out. He stared out at the roiling ocean, brooding as he let the sound of the waves crashing on the shore wash over him.

It was late when Liam entered the room, and Theo pretended to be asleep, keeping his heartbeat and breathing steady. It must have convinced Liam, because he shut the door quietly behind him.

Theo listened to him moving around, first to the bathroom and then back into the room, standing by the end of the bed, unknowingly echoing Theo's position earlier that day. Liam stood there for a long time. He wondered what Liam was thinking about as he focussed on keeping his breathing deep and even. He wanted to roll over and demand answers, but he was afraid of what Liam might say in the dark of the night.

Liam sighed before crawling into the bed, turning to face the opposite wall, leaving a large gap between their bodies. It was only a few centimeters, but it might as well have been a huge gaping chasm. The other boy turned and Theo felt hope flare in his chest, but it died when Liam placed a pillow against his back, before turning once more.

A pillow wall. A fucking pillow wall.

Theo felt his heart ache in his chest and he shivered, feeling cold, anguish making his lip quiver. It didn't matter what Derek said about being patient. It was perfectly clear that Liam didn't want him.

It took a long time for him to fall asleep.


	26. Chapter 26

_The sun wasn't even up when Theo slipped out of bed. He had spent most of the night staring at the wall, feeling his heart break in slow increments as more and more time passed and Liam didn't turn over to talk to him. He couldn't face him today, not with his heart a cracked open wound._

 _Staring down at the sleeping werewolf, Theo frowned. Maybe Liam hadn't meant it. Maybe it was just a stupid misunderstanding. He shook his head, pushing it from his mind._

 _Grabbing some food from the kitchen, he chucked it in a bag and walked outside down to the beach. As he walked further and further away from the house he felt a little lighter._

 _He explored, poking at animals in rock pools and collecting shells, tucking them in his pockets and then his bag when they were overflowing. He'd never had time to himself to just innocently explore before, and he found it more enjoyable than he thought he would. Of course, it would have been more fun with Liam, but for now, he was reasonably content on his own, checking out the many caves that dotted the cliff face. The need to share everything with Liam; experiences, likes and dislikes and every facet of everyday life was like another knife in Theo's heart, unsure if it would ever be reciprocated._

 _Later, he would face Liam and force some answers from him. He had to know, one way or the other. But until then, he was determined to enjoy himself._

"I think I fucked up," Liam admitted to Mason the next morning as they walked down to the beach.

"Does this having something to do with why Theo looks like a storm cloud and you look like shit?" Mason asked.

"Probably," Liam muttered.

"What did you do?" Mason sighed, stopping to look at him.

"I panicked," Liam whined. "I had a sex dream about Theo and I woke up hard and he was in the bathroom and he would have known, he would have smelt it."

"A sex dream?" Mason scoffed. "So what? You're into him. Why do you even care if he knows? You guys sleep together every night."

"We kissed once," Liam growled. "We're not doing anything else."

"Oh," Mason frowned. "I assumed you'd decided to ignore my going slow advice and jumped in with both feet."

"Why would you assume that?" Liam asked.

"You two have been so close and holding hands and shit," Mason pointed out, continuing on to the beach. Liam trailed after him. "You literally put a photo of him on Instagram that said boyfriends."

"Not my boyfriend," Liam snapped.

"Alright," Mason tutted. "Calm down, I know that now." He sighed, shoving his surfboard into the sand and sitting down. Liam did the same, flopping onto the sand beside him.

"How do I fix it?" Liam asked.

"I think you need to figure out what you want," Mason said firmly. "I warned you about giving him mixed signals. You're fucking with his head and it's not fair, Liam."

"I know," Liam sighed. "But I don't know what I want."

"Okay, let's examine it," Mason said, raising an eyebrow at him. Liam nodded at him to continue. "You two kissed in a life or death situation, like you literally thought you might die."

"Yeah, so?" Liam asked.

"So, it was probably just adrenaline," Mason shrugged. "And everyone likes kissing. It doesn't mean you care about Theo."

"Of course I care about Theo, he's my friend," Liam snapped.

"I meant as more than a friend," Mason rolled his eyes. "And then there's the bed sharing. You feel like Theo is your responsibility. You feel guilty so you're trying to fix him. That's why you made the dreamcatcher, because he's a project to distract you from dealing with your own shit."

"He's more than that," Liam argued, getting angry. Mason just stared at him, unimpressed.

"Sure he is," he rolled his eyes.

That was the last straw, Liam jumped to his feet, eyes blazing amber and fangs bared in a snarl. "Don't talk about him like that."

"Awfully possessive for someone who doesn't want to be with him," Mason goaded.

"I do," Liam roared.

Mason smirked. "You know, you're always honest when you're angry, almost brutally so sometimes."

"Huh?" Liam said, confusion making his rage slide away.

"You like Theo," Mason confirmed, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. "Let's surf."

"Wait," Liam snapped. "What do you mean I like him?"

"You just said you wanted to be with him," Mason pointed out, smiling at him, all traces of the coldness from moments ago missing from his face.

"You little shit," Liam said, comprehension dawning. "You got me angry on purpose."

"What are friends for?" Mason snickered.

"I could have hurt you," Liam frowned.

"Corey would have stopped you if you'd lost control," Mason shrugged. "Not that I think you would have."

"Wait, Corey was here this whole time?" Liam growled.

"Sorry," Corey muttered, phasing in beside Mason. "I had to be sure."

"It's okay, I guess," Liam muttered, turning away to hide his expression. Even his best friends didn't trust his control. Theo was the only one who did. He sighed. "So what should I do?" He asked.

"Be honest with him," Mason said gently. "You're sixteen Liam, you're allowed to be a bit confused about your sexuality. What you're not allowed to do is fuck with someone else's head while you figure it out."

"I think I can do that," Liam nodded, biting his lip.

"Good," Mason smiled.

"Thanks Mase," Liam smiled.

"Anytime, now, can we surf?" Mason asked.

"Of course," Liam smirked, picking up his board.

Liam didn't get a chance to talk to Theo when he returned to the house because he was nowhere to be seen. If he hadn't checked that his truck was still in the garage, he would have been worried. Just in case, though, he pocketed Theo's keys.

Drifting back into the kitchen, he found Corey in there making a sandwich.

"Hey man," LIam said, peering over his shoulder. "Looks good."

"Want one?" Corey asked.

"I won't say no," Liam laughed. He grabbed a soda from the fridge and leaned against the bench, watching Corey as he made another sandwich. When he was done he put both on a plate and walked outside. Liam grabbed him a soda as well and followed.

With a sigh, he sunk into a chair outside, looking out at the beach with a dreamy smile. This holiday had been a great idea, to just get away from all the supernatural bullshit and just be.

"You're being a shit friend," Corey said, interrupting his thoughts. Liam's head whipped towards him, eyes widening in shock.

"What?" He asked.

"To Mason," Corey clarified.

"What do you mean?" Liam asked, staring at him, his heart sinking. "What's going on?"

"He still has nightmares," Corey said eventually, putting his sandwich done and fixing Liam with a hard stare. "About what happened when he was the beast. He wakes up screaming from them. Haven't you noticed the bags under his eyes? He barely sleeps."

The last time he hadn't noticed something was wrong with Mason, he'd been turning into a huge beast and killing people. He'd vowed to do better, but apparently he was failing miserably.

"He didn't tell me," Liam said in a small voice, feeling horrible and small. How could he be the alpha when Scott left if he couldn't even notice his best friend not sleeping?

"He shouldn't have to tell you," Corey snapped, unknowingly echoing Liam's thoughts. "You should pay more attention. If you did, you'd realise how much you putting all your shit on Mason is tearing him in half. He's already got so much on his plate, Liam. He can't deal with your gay crisis on top of it."

Liam bit back angry words, taking a deep shuddering breath. "You're right," he sighed, dropping his head. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want or need your apology," Corey said, picking up his sandwich again. "I want you to be better. We all need you to be better, Liam."

Liam nodded, picking up his sandwich and nibbling at it, his mind racing. He had to fix this. He had to stop focusing on himself all the time and open his eyes, see how his actions were affecting the people around him. Corey was right, there was no point being sorry; he had to be better.

Liam was in the living room staring up at the ceiling as something flickered on the tv. Scott was curled up on the other couch on his phone, while everyone else was either in the kitchen preparing dinner or in their rooms for a nap. Just as he was starting to get worried, Theo finally slunk back in. His nose twitched as he inhaled the salt on Theo's skin. He must have been at the beach, then.

Theo stood by the door, his face closed off, shoulders tense. Liam watched him from the corner of his eye, sighing when he saw the stubborn set to Theo's jaw.

His friends were right. He needed to be more observant and stop living in his own head so much. He'd hurt Theo, that much was clear. Theo always had such tight control over his emotions, and yet misery wafted from him in black tendrils. I have to fix it, Liam vowed.

He sat up and Theo stiffened. Liam indicated the seat next to him but Theo ignored him, pushing Scott's legs off the couch and sitting next to him, resolutely staring at the television.

"Hey Theo," Scott said, bumping his shoulder and smiling at him. Theo glanced at him but said nothing. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Theo muttered, eyes flickering over to Liam and then away.

"Come on man, talk to me," Scott needled.

"Don't act like you care," Theo scoffed.

"Dude," Scott said, sounding wounded. "You're my third bitten beta, you're important to me."

"Wait," Liam said. "What do you mean third?"

"Well, Hayden obviously," Scott said, staring at him like he was an idiot.

Liam's mouth gaped open as he spluttered a denial. But it was true, he realised. Scott had bitten Hayden to save her life, she had been his beta.

"She's doing well, by the way," Scott said, cheerful again, waving his phone in the air. "She's settled into her new school, even found a part-time job."

"You still talk to her?" Liam asked.

"Of course," Scott said. "She's part of my pack. Just cause you guys broke up doesn't mean she's out of the pack."

"Oh," Liam said with a frown. That made sense, he supposed, but his mind was reeling. Hayden had left him, left all of them, and part of him would never forgive that betrayal. He'd been devastated when Hayden broke up with him. She had been his anchor.

Theo stood up suddenly, storming from the room. Liam watched him, heart sinking even further. He ran a finger over the red string, feeling Theo's anguish. His chest ached and he rose to his unsteady feet.

"Give him a bit of space," Scott suggested gently. "It's nearly dinner-time. You'll both feel a lot more settled after some food.

Liam nodded, sinking back into the touch, but his mind was on the other werewolf.

Dinner was a somber affair. It turned out that everyone had been niggling at everyone else all day, and the tension in the air was stifling. Theo scoffed his food and bolted from the table. Liam watched him go, eating slower, reluctant to go and face him.

He stared down at his plate, feeling a bit miserable.

Mason kicked him and Liam looked up. His friend raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a pointed look. Liam sighed and nodded, rising to his feet.

"I think I'm gonna turn in," he said, nodding at the pack. They chorused their goodnights, and Liam walked towards the house, feet dragging.

He wanted to fix things between him and Theo but he had no idea what to say.

The door to their room was shut, and the light was off. As with the night before, Theo lay curled up in their bed and Liam watched him from the doorway. Theo was pretending to be asleep again, but Liam's fingers tangling through the string hummed with awareness.

He undressed and slid into bed, lying on his back and listening to Theo breathe. He took a shaky breath.

"Theo?" Liam whispered.

When there was no reply he turned over, pressing a hand against Theo's back. The warmth startled him so much that he flinched, and Liam withdrew it.

He could feel Liam's eyes burning into the back of his head, and suddenly Theo was done with it all. He rolled over, glaring at Liam.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

From the light filtering in from the open curtains, he could see Liam's eyes widen, the moonlight making them look black.

"I just wanted to know if you're okay," Liam said hesitantly.

"Don't worry about me," Theo said in a flat voice.

"I've upset you," Liam said, brow furrowing.

Theo closed his eyes. "I'm fine." Even he heard his heart skip at the lie.

"I was a dick, I'm sorry," Liam whispered, his voice echoing the same anguish that Theo felt inside, and he lurched out of bed, dragging the blanket with him and stepping out onto the balcony. He leaned on it, breathing in the sea, trying to summon back his anger, but it was gone.

Liam walked out and grabbed him, turning him and pulling him into a hug. Theo stilled, but made no move to break away.

"Don't," he pleaded, an open wound. Don't do this to me. Don't touch me like this if you don't mean it.

"I was confused," Liam explained, his arms tightening around him. "I shouldn't have avoided you. Theo, I'm so fucking sorry."

Theo summoned his courage. "What were you confused about?"

"You," Liam admitted in a quiet whisper. "I don't understand how I feel about you and I ran away."

He frowned, head tilted to the side. Did that mean that Liam had been dreaming about him? The implication of that made him swallow past the lump in his throat.

"I ran away too," he said, his voice hoarse.

"Yesterday morning?" Liam asked, his heart racing.

Theo pulled away, seeing the other boy blushing, avoiding his gaze.

"Yes," he whispered. "I wanted-"

He broke off, rubbing the heel of his hand over his racing heart.

"What?" Liam pressed, watching him closely. Theo didn't reply, but he blushed and Liam stepped closer, crowding him against the rail of the balcony, a hand on either side of him, though he didn't touch him. "What did you want Theo?"

"I wanted you, I wanted to touch you," he breathed, eyes dropping to Liam's lips. "I wanted to kiss you again."

"Fuck," Liam sighed, leaning his forehead against Theo's, closing his eyes.

Theo fisted his hands in the blanket, hanging onto it for dear life, hope and anguish roiling through his stomach. He'd put it all on the line. The ball was in Liam's court now.

"I told Mason I'd talk to you," Liam said quietly. "That I'd stop running away from what I'm feeling, but I don't really understand it yet. I'll try to put it into words, but you know I'm shit at that."

"Try," Theo pleaded.

Liam nodded, backing up a little, moving over to the seat, patting it and indicating for Theo to join him. He sat down and Liam grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around both of their shoulders, their sides pressed against each other. Then he took Theo's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"I don't even know where to begin," he sighed. Theo waited, and eventually the other boy continued. "I think about you all the time, and my wolf is almost desperate to be standing next to you. And then when I started watching you, I started to notice all these stupid little things about you, like how you always look away when you smile, like you're trying to hide it, and how you're always fiddling with something, which I know now is the string, but your hands are always moving."

He broke off, shaking his head, a rueful smile on his face. Theo stared at him, feeling his heart thudding in his chest, his palms sweaty as nerves filled his stomach.

"I avoided you because it scared me, a little, how much I cared about you, but Mason talked some sense into me this morning. Tricked me, actually, in admitting it out loud. And as soon as I said it, I realised how right it felt. You're always so in tune with me, cheering me up when I need it and kicking my ass when I cross the line. You never judge me, like ever, or treat me like I'm a monster," Liam rushed out, panting for breath.

"You're not a monster," Theo said automatically and Liam turned to look at him.

"No," he agreed, "but you're the only one who sees just me, just Liam, and not the IED." He smiled, and Theo felt his heart melt. "You see me," Liam said again. "And I see you, Theo Raeken, and I really like you."

"You like me?" Theo breathed.

"Yeah," Liam said. "I think I really do. I liked kissing you, and I don't know if I could even sleep anymore without being wrapped up with you."

"I don't think I could either," Theo admitted.

"We're soulmates," Liam whispered, "and my wolf wants you. Like he is all up in my chest just manning the 'Theo Raeken fan club'.I just need to figure out now if all these feelings are just him."

"And how are you gonna do that?" Theo asked.

In reply, Liam leaned forward, pressing his lips to his. Theo's eyes fluttered closed as Liam's lips glided over his, softly coaxing his mouth open and exploring him, his hand sliding into Theo's hair as he pulled him close. Theo sighed into his mouth, their tongues stroking, his hand clenching tightly around Liam's.

"I want to try," Liam said against his mouth. "We can go slow until we figure it out, but I want to give it a shot. Is that okay?"

"No more running away?" Theo asked, pulling back to look into his eyes.

"No more running away," Liam nodded.

"Okay," Theo said, smiling at him. "We can try."


	27. Chapter 27

_Theo woke with Liam sprawled over him. His face was buried in his neck, breath puffing against him, making him shiver. He had an arm slung over his chest, a leg thrown over his hip. Apart from crawling up and lying on top of him, they literally could not have been any closer. It should have been suffocating, but instead, it felt... nice._

 _His fingers twitched. He wanted to trail them up and down Liam's arm, intertwine their fingers, wake him up with soft, slow kisses, but…_

 _Was he allowed to?_

 _He felt a pain in his chest, making it hard to breathe, spreading through his body. In the light of the morning, it was hard to deny himself the things he wanted. Liam was right here, had said that he wanted to try, but Theo was crippled by doubt._

 _With a sigh, he rolled away from Liam, sitting on the edge of the bed, head in his hands._

 _Liam grumbled, hand searching the bed. "What're you doin'?"_

 _Theo glanced back at him, seeing Liam peering at him, looking adorably grumpy. "Go back to sleep," he said, turning away again. It hurt, looking at him, wanting him._

 _He heard Liam sit up and move closer. His warm chest pressed against Theo's back as he cuddled up to him, lips brushing against his shoulder. "Theo, what's wrong?" Liam asked quietly, his voice rough with sleep._

 _"Nothing," he whispered back, melting back against Liam, eyes fluttering closed. Why couldn't he just let himself enjoy these moments? Why did he have to ruin them? Was he broken?_

Liam woke as soon as Theo moved away.

His mind was foggy, but he could feel Theo's confusion and anguish. Why did he smell so sad? He asked him what was wrong and moved closer, but Theo brushed him off.

Well, that wouldn't do.

He pulled Theo more firmly against him, hugging him tight. Theo snuggled closer, some of the sadness disappearing. Liam frowned, trying to puzzle it out.

This particular scent reminded him of something, something recent. It hovered just at the edge of his mind, like there was a connection he was supposed to be making, but it was just out of reach. He sighed, mind still fuzzy with sleep. He'd try to remember later.

"It's still early," he mumbled into Theo's neck. "We could sleep a bit longer?"

"Yeah, okay," Theo whispered.

Liam scooted back, making room for the other boy, blushing slightly as he held his arms open. Theo blushed as well, but crawled into his arms, pressing a soft kiss to his neck as he hid his face.

They dozed for awhile, slipping in and out of consciousness. Liam had already reached the maximum level of his bravery quota for the morning. Though his fingers itched, and longing filled him, he kept his arms wrapped around Theo's waist, unmoving. Instead, he let his eyes wander, taking in and appreciating the strong muscles of the other boy's back.

A knock on the door made him look up. It inched open, Derek poking his head in. He smiled at Liam as he took in the way they were lying.

"Hey, apparently we're needed outside," he said quietly.

"We?" Liam asked, his voice hoarse.

"You and me," Derek said.

Liam frowned but disentangled himself from Theo, pressing a kiss on top of his head as he got out of bed.

Nolan was a werejaguar? Bitten by Kate Argent? He had talked to him, finding out what had happened and reassuring him as to what would happen next, but he was floundering himself. The pack, for the most part, had accepted the situation, but Liam was still reeling.

Also, he was still worried about Mason.

He went looking for him, finding him locked away in his room, the blind drawn, the room dark, music playing on his phone, which lay on his pillow next to him.

"Okay," Liam said, standing by the bed and frowning down at him. "I was at maybe a four, but I think I'm all the way up to a ten now."

"What are you talking about?" Mason asked, his voice dull.

"Out of ten, for how worried I am about you," Liam said. "Dude, what's going on?"

"I'm fine," Mason grumbled.

"Why does everyone keep saying that when it obviously isn't true?" Liam muttered.

"Maybe in this case it is true," Mason pointed out.

"That would be so much more believable if you hadn't locked yourself in your room in a blanket burrito," Liam said.

He flopped down next to Mason, cuddling up to him, arms wrapped firmly around the nest of blankets.

"I don't feel well," Mason admitted eventually when it was clear that Liam was determined to stay stubbornly silent.

"Is this to do with you not sleeping? And having nightmares?" Liam asked.

"Maybe," Mason sighed. "I just… I don't know. I keep seeing all those people dying under my claws, and I know it wasn't me, as such, but I can't get their images out of my head."

"It sounds like with the Anuk-ite, when you saw that body everywhere," Liam frowned.

"I see their bodies everywhere I go," Mason whispered. "I can't pretend anymore."

"How long has this been happening?" Liam growled.

"Since the Anuk-ite," Mason said quietly, his voice shaking. "It keeps getting worse. I was having nightmares before, but this is different. They look so real."

"Can you see them when it's dark?" Liam asked.

"No," Mason whispered, "but I can hear them." That explained the music.

"Okay, when we get back, you're going straight to Deaton," Liam said firmly. "Until then, I'm gonna see about getting you some sleeping pills or something so you can rest. Maybe it's so bad because you're tired."

"Maybe," Mason agreed with a sigh.

"I'll be back in a minute," Liam promised.

He found Derek in the lounge room with Isaac, Jackson and Ethan.

"Hey," he said, hovering by the door.

"Liam, is there something wrong?" Derek asked. He looked troubled. Probably why he had his packmates around him.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," Liam said, feeling shy suddenly. There were four very attractive men all staring at him. It was very intimidating.

"It's fine," Derek said gently. "What do you need?"

"It's Mason," Liam said, biting his lip anxiously.

"Your human friend?" Derek asked.

Liam frowned. Was Mason really human still? They'd never really discussed the whole chimera thing. "Human-ish, yeah, I guess," Liam said, frowning, scratching his chin. "He was really badly affected by the Anuk-ite. He's like, seeing dead bodies, or something?"

"That sounds fun," Jackson drawled, paling slightly.

"Not really," Liam said, rocking back on his heels. "He's exhausted."

"He smells sick," Isaac said. "I noticed it earlier, but I thought it was something you guys all knew."

"Sick?" Liam asked, heart sinking.

"I can't explain it better than that," Isaac shrugged.

"I'll come see him," Derek said, rising to his feet. He followed Liam back to Mason's room. Corey was in there as well, sitting on the edge of the bed, smoothing a hand through his hair.

Derek leaned over Mason, feeling his cheek, inhaling his scent. He did it again, frowning.

"I see what you mean," he said, leaning back again, a deep frown on his face, eyes distant. "He doesn't smell human, exactly. His scent, it's tainted."

"Is it like mine?" Corey asked. "Because we're chimeras?"

"Mason's a chimera?" Derek asked, looking surprised.

"Well, sort of?" Liam said, wringing his hands together. "We don't really know for sure. He was used to house the Beast because he was a genetic chimera. No one really knows how much the Dread Doctors experimented on him."

"How did you find out if you were experimented on?" Derek asked, looking down at Mason.

"The book," Mason said hoarsely.

"What book?" Derek asked.

"You've been reading it, haven't you?" Corey said, horror and realisation dawning on his face. He reached under Mason's pillow, pulling out a small novel. He ripped off the paper cover, showing the real one underneath.

The Dread Doctors, by T.R. McCammon.

"Mason," Liam growled. "Why didn't you tell anyone you were reading this? It's dangerous!"

"I know," he said, "but I thought you guys would stop me. And I need to know, I have to."

"What do you remember?" Derek asked.

"Their masks, hovering over me," Mason whispered. "And pain."

The sick scent of his fear filled the room, stifling it. Liam fought back the urge to cover his mouth. He felt ill. It brought back the memory of Mason in the Dread Doctors lab, a huge metal rod attached to the base of his neck, pressed into his skull. Liam had been powerless to help, and after Mason had been brought back to them, too relieved to examine the memories any further. It was a dangerous oversight.

Derek looked at Liam. "The nightmares are probably caused by the book as well as whatever his animal is manifesting in him. Once we figure out what he is and what happened to him, we should have a better idea of how to help him."

"What can we do now?" Corey asked. "He can't go on like this."

"Sleeping pills?" Liam suggested. "So he can at least get some rest?"

"It could just trap him in the nightmare," Derek said, shaking his head. "We just need to take the book away and force him to get some rest. That's all we can do for now."

The next day, Mason did look a little better. The others didn't look anywhere near as bright. The full moon was that night. Liam was lethargic, and he lay in a puppy pile with Theo, Mason and Corey. They had several pizzas in front of them and a movie on, all of them lazing around and enjoying each other's company.

Later that same day, Liam walked into the kitchen, finding Mason helping with dinner. He looked so much better that it was like he was a different person.

"Wow," he said, "Mason, you look great."

"Thanks," Mason said. "I do feel better. Amazing what a bit of sleep can do." And being away from that book, Liam thought with a frown.

"Definitely," Liam agreed. "I'm gonna have a nap after dinner I think. It will almost definitely be a long night with Nolan. I have no idea what to expect."

"That's still so bizarre," Mason muttered, chopping up the ingredients for the salad. "Nolan, a supernatural."

"Yep," Liam said.

"He keeps slinking around," Mason said, chopping harder. Liam winced as the sound assaulted his hypersensitive ears.

"He's scared," Liam shrugged. "Which is understandable, I guess. He is in a house of supernaturals who don't like him very much."

"For good reason," Mason pointed out. "He's a psycho."

"The whole town was psycho," Liam pointed out. "Not just Nolan."

"I guess," Mason grumbled ungraciously.

Liam smiled. He knew Mason. He'd come around eventually.

"Wanna go surfing tomorrow?" Liam asked.

"Yeah, definitely," Mason agreed, grasping onto the new topic eagerly. "The waves look so good."

"We'll have to go a bit later on though," Liam said. "I'll probably sleep late."

"That's fine," Mason shrugged. "A sleep in sounds perfect."

Liam helped Mason carry the salad and plates outside to the table. Scott and Derek were working the grill, cooking sausages and chops.

Everyone was tense with the oncoming moon. Scott, though, was almost high, moving from wolf to wolf, scenting them, eyes blazing red. He was almost drunk on power, being the alpha of such a huge pack, nearly all members there with him.

Liam watched him, feeling uncertain as the alpha scented each of the puppies. It didn't quite sit right with him, though he said nothing. From the glances and discrete touches from his pack, they knew they were his. It soothed his wolf, and he faced the full moon knowing all of them would have his back.

What he hadn't accounted for, however, was how much Brett wanted Nolan. It took him by surprise. The second that Nolan shifted, Brett pounced and Nolan lashed out at him before breaking his chains and flying up the tree.

Liam knew about difficult first shifts. He'd run through the woods naked, nearly killed most of the pack and ended up in a hole more times than he was proud to admit. And Theo's first full moon as an actual wolf, well, that had been one of the most exhausting nights of Liam's entire life. But how could he have known that the chains had been starting to rust through?

He stared up at Nolan, sighing. It was going to be a long night.

Sometime the day after the full moon on their last full day on holidays, Derek and Jackson disappeared into town, returning hours later laden with cases upon cases of alcohol.

"I know they're rich, but why are they literally throwing money away buying alcohol for a bunch of supernaturals that can't get drunk?" Liam asked from where he was curled up on a sun-lounger with Theo.

"Just because you idiots haven't worked it out yet doesn't mean the rest of the worlds werewolf population don't know how to have a good time." Jackson said, squinting his eyes and placing a couple of bottles of what appeared to be clear liquor on top of the crates of beer Derek had just dragged in.

"It's a kind of distilled wolf's bane." Ethan explained. "It's harmless in the long run but tonight will make all your cares go away."

It turned out there were a lot of different kinds of drunks in their pack. Lydia and Malia were giggling over something on Malia's phone, Jackson and Theo were lifting heavy things while Derek critiqued their technique, Nolan was hiding from Brett in a pot plant, Isaac was solving the world's problems with Mason and Scott just looked sad.

"Hey Scott." Liam said, dropping down next to him on the sand where he was staring into the flames of the fire they had built.

"Hey Liam, Don't mind me, I've just got a bit of end of holiday blues," Scott replied sadly. Liam rolled his eyes, surely after everything Scott didn't think that he could fool him so easily.

"You want to try that again?" Liam probed, bumping their shoulders as he settled in the sand. "Is it a Malia thing?"

"Amongst other things," Scott said, his eyes flicking quickly to where Isaac was laughing with Mason and Corey on the deck.

"Believe me, I think I understand," Liam laughed, nudging Scott and gesturing to where Theo was taking his victory lap of the barbecue area, flexing his muscles in his celebration of defeating Jackson.

"What do you do when you feel like this?" Scott asked, his wide brown eyes pleading.

"Recently? I talk to Theo," Liam shrugged. "You know, he's your beta now, and he's a surprisingly good listener."

"So, Malia is on Tinder now." Scott said, his voice drowned by the thump of the music coming from the deck as he settled onto the sand next to Theo.

Their celebration was in full swing, Brett had coerced Nolan onto the makeshift dance floor that Malia and Mason had set up, Stiles was providing everyone with water and leftover food from dinner and for some reason the Dude had made a re-appearance.

"And how does that make you feel?" Theo drawled, a lazy smile spreading across his face, his wrists moving in slow circles making Scott sure that he was once again winding the length of red string around his hands.

"Shit. Even though I shouldn't," Scott said, taking a long drink from his beer. "Well, not about that. I've been a shit alpha."

"Scott," Theo said, stopping his hand movements and squinting to focus on the other werewolf. "It's not as if I'm new to all this and you had to break me in."

"But I didn't know that," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't even check up on you on your first full moon. I just left it to Liam!"

"Scott, when you turned me, I knew I wouldn't get the full alpha bond that you and Liam have, I don't deserve that. I-" Scott held up a hand to cut him off, signalling to his own chest.

"No but it's there. I feel you; like Liam and Hayden. I turned you and you don't even-" Scott stopped and looked over at where Liam, Nolan and Stiles were doing the macarena. He took a couple deep breaths before he spoke again. "Once, Kate Argent took me to Mexico and performed a ritual on me that should have made me a Berserker. And it did for a while."

"For a while?" Theo shook his head, trying to comprehend.

"Liam saved me. He brought me back. The bond-" he gestured first towards Liam and then between the two of them. "The pack bond dragged me back and I feel it with you. So like it or not, I care about you Theo." He smiled warmly. "And I want you to be happy."

"Dance with me," Liam slurred, holding his arms open for Theo.

"Lydia switched the music off, dumb ass," Theo replied, but stood from where he was lying on the outdoor lounge.

"So? Dance with me anyway," Liam pouted and Theo grinned, taking his outstretched hands where they were offered and allowing Liam to pull him in close.

"You were talking to Scott." Liam whispered as they moved to imaginary music. "What about?"

"Does it matter?" Theo said, allowing Liam to move him around until they were in a kind of lazy drunken waltz, Liam resting his head on Theo's shoulder.

"It concerns you and you matter to me," Liam whispered into Theo's collar bone, so close his lips grazed the skin there, making Theo shudder.

"Liam-"

"Theo. You matter to me," Liam looked up at him with a serious expression before he paled and pulled away. "You matter to me so much but I think I'm gonna be sick now."


	28. Chapter 28

_The best thing about being a werewolf was the healing. This meant that his hangover was limited to a bit of queasiness and just general tiredness. The bad thing, however, was that his mouth still tasted like something had crawled into it and died._

 _With a shudder, Liam rolled out of bed, wrinkling his nose up at the smell of stale sweat and alcohol that emanated from his body, as well as the overpowering stink of campfire smoke. He pulled off his shirt and threw it into the corner, wondering how he possibly could have slept smelling that gross._

 _He brushed his teeth thoroughly, rinsing out his mouth until he was satisfied that his breath was minty fresh. And then he walked back into his room, smiling down at Theo's still sleeping form. Tempting as it was to crawl back into bed and cuddle with him, it was only a matter of time before someone came to check on their packing. They had to leave pretty early this morning if they wanted to get back home at a decent hour._

 _Also, Theo smelled as bad as he had, worse possibly, considering he'd consumed probably three times the amount of alcohol that Liam had._

 _"Theo," he whispered, leaning over him, smoothing his hair back from his face. "Wakey wakey."_

 _The chimera grumbled, swatting his hand away and burying under the blankets. Liam grinned. Fucking adorable._

 _"We have to get up and pack, remember?" Liam said, trying to pull the blanket back._

 _"Noooo," Theo groaned. "I don't want to."_

 _Liam flopped on top of him, making Theo wince but Liam just grinned. "Are you hungover?" Theo had drunk a lot more than him last night, but considering the stupid drinking contests he had gotten into with Derek and Jackson, he sort of deserved it._

 _"Yes," Theo griped. "So unless you have coffee, you can leave me to die in peace."_

 _"God you're dramatic. You don't really want me to leave you alone," Liam whispered, trying to nuzzle his way under the blanket, his nose brushing over Theo's cheek._

 _He slipped a hand inside the blanket, hand sliding along Theo's arm as he drew away a sip of the pain. Theo whimpered._

 _"I'll take away the rest if you leave your burrito and have a shower," Liam snickered._

 _"Jerk," Theo pouted, turning his head and peeking out at him. Liam smiled, leaning down to kiss his nose._

 _"Come on," Liam said, rolling off of him. "Time to get up, sleepyhead."_

 _Grumbling, Theo threw off the blanket and rolled to the edge of the bed. He cradled his head in his hands, looking pathetic. Taking pity on him, Liam stood between his legs, cupping his face and drawing away the pain. Theo groaned, leaning into his touch._

 _He looked up at Liam with bleary eyes. "I feel like shit," he said, his voice hoarse._

 _"I wish I could say that you don't look like shit," Liam said, "but you do, and you stink. Go have a shower and I'll hunt down some coffee."_

 _"Deal," Theo sighed. "Will you bring it to the shower?"_

 _Liam's heart leapt at the thought of seeing Theo in the shower. "Um, sure," he said, blushing as he turned away, walking out of the room. He could smell Theo's amusement, but ignored it._

 _By the time he returned with coffee, Theo was in the shower. His clothes were in the corner with Liam's, stinking to high hell. Liam set the coffee on the table so that he could shove them into a plastic bag, wrinkling up his nose. Definitely a 'when he got home' problem._

 _Knocking on the door to the bathroom, he eased open the door. It was full of steam, and he could just barely see Theo's silhouette in the shower where he was leaning against the wall of the shower._

 _"Got your coffee," Liam said, averting his eyes, cheeks flushed._

 _"Thanks," he heard Theo say. Liam put it on the vanity, edging out of the room, eyes down._

 _He tried not to listen to Theo showering as he packed his bag, but it was hard not to. He could hear him grumbling, dropping things and swearing and every now and again, a groan. His imagination went into overdrive, thinking about what was causing the noises. He felt flustered, in a way he hadn't been since he was dating Hayden._

 _Liam sat down on the edge of his bed, staring down at his hands. It felt… momentous._

Liam left Theo to his packing, picking up his bag and pillow and depositing them in the foyer near the door. He glanced out the front window, seeing Scott standing with Malia… and was that Peter?

He looked to the side as Isaac came to stand beside him, watching the scene.

"What's going on there?" Liam asked.

"Malia's going on a holiday with Peter, apparently," Isaac shrugged as they watched Scott help load bags into the car and then hug Malia.

"I thought she was going to Paris," Liam frowned.

"Guess not," Isaac said, drifting away as quietly as he'd entered. Liam watched as Malia got into the car with Peter, driving off without looking back. Peter honked the horn once, and they were gone, and Scott was left looking after them, shoulders hunched.

Liam opened the door, walking down to join Scott, bumping his shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

"I think so," Scott said, looking back at the house where Isaac had reappeared at a different window. "I'm not sure."

"Where are they going?" Liam asked and Scott shook his head as if to focus back on the conversation at hand.

"Something to do with South America, apparently," Scott shrugged, leaning against one of the large pot plants that framed the entrance to the house. "Cora's down there somewhere- that's Derek's little sister- I think Peter was taking her to meet her cousin."

"And you're okay?" Liam asked again, looking sceptical. Scott pushed off the pot he was leaning against and moved back through the large front door into the house.

"I will be." He says, locking eyes with Isaac, just making his way down the stairs.

Liam looked everywhere for Theo, panic setting in when a search of the whole house had elicited no results.

"Have you guys seen Theo?" He asked Mason and Corey, who were in the loungeroom, feet up with the TV on.

"Uh, no?" Mason said, giving him a quizzical look. "Why?"

"I just looked everywhere for him and I couldn't find him anywhere," Liam said, his brow creased. "I'm worried."

"He'll turn up," Corey said reassuringly.

Liam helped with the final clean up, concerned, eyes constantly darting around as he searched for Theo. But there was no sign of him, and a sick feeling built in his stomach.

"What's wrong?" Scott asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I can't find Theo," Liam said, sighing. "I don't understand. Where could he be? We're about to leave and there's no sign of him."

Liam stood with his bag slung over his shoulder. Everyone else was piling into their cars, glancing back at him.

"Hey," Nolan said, biting his lip. "Um, is it okay if we ride with you?"

Next to him was Brett, who was shifting from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable.

"I guess," Liam shrugged. He chucked his bag into the back of Theo's truck, walking over to the passenger side. As he opened the door, Theo nearly fell out, grumbling as he managed to stop himself falling out at the last second.

"What?" He mumbled sleepily, glaring at Liam. "What're you doing?"

"Jesus, Theo," Liam said. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Been here," Theo growled. "You're driving."

"You want me… to drive your truck?" Liam asked, mouth gaping open.

"Well I'm certainly not driving," Theo said, cuddling further into the seat. "My head is thumping. So, unless you want to stay here?"

"No, no!" Liam objected. "I'll drive, it's cool!"

He closed the door as quietly as he could. Brett was looking at him sceptically.

"You're driving?" He asked. He looked down at Nolan. "You want to trust this guy?"

"Well I don't have a licence, do you?" Nolan asked.

"Yeah, I do actually," Brett said.

"Not fucking happening," Theo said from inside the truck.

"Looks like I'm driving," Liam smirked, moving around to the driver's side and climbing in. Theo chucked him the keys, and Liam grinned as he inserted the key into the ignition.

After a bit of grumbling and some coaxing from Nolan, Brett got in as well. Liam could feel him glaring at the back of his head as they pulled out of the driveway.

Liam had the window down, one arm resting along it, a smile dancing on his lips as the miles passed by. Driving on the highway was pretty easy once you were on it, it was a clear, sunny day, and with the radio on quietly in the background, it was almost peaceful. Theo was dozing in the passenger seat, and in the backseat, Nolan was wedged against the door with his feet up, his teeth bared as he held Brett back with his feet.

"Alright back there?" Liam asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.

"Stinky dog," Nolan hissed.

Brett sighed, leaning against the opposite door, his lower lip jutting out in a pout.

"Shut up," Theo snarled from where he was curled up in a tight ball.

Nolan just hissed at him as well. Liam rolled his eyes. Cats were so dramatic.

They all pulled over at a diner, fueling up and then stretching their legs in the car park. Liam stretched his legs and then returned to the car, carefully easing the passenger door open.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly, gripping Theo's shoulder.

The other boy shuddered. "Fine, I guess. I'm just tired."

Liam rolled his eyes. He could smell that Theo was still in pain. His hand hovered over Theo's arm, looking down and considering him with a thoughtful frown.

Glancing up at Theo, who had his head thrown back against the seat and eyes screwed shut in a pained frown, and then back down at again, at the sliver of skin that Liam could see between Theo's jumper and pants, Liam bit back a smile.

Dropping his hand down, he slid his hand under the shirt, pressing his palm to Theo's hip.

"What are you doing?" Theo muttered. His eyes opened a sliver, his expression unreadable.

"Taking your pain," Liam said, swallowing thickly, his mouth running dry. He'd never touched Theo like this before.

Dark lines ran up his arm, and Theo sighed, too relieved to press the point further.

His skin was cool and clammy to the touch. Pulling away, Liam went to go find Derek. Theo should have been on the mend by now.

"Derek," Liam said, nudging the older man's shoulder, who was leaning against his car, sunglasses on, nursing a cup of takeaway coffee. "Theo's still hungover, is that normal?"

"Yep," Derek said hoarsely. "With how much he drank, he'd have mild wolfsbane poisoning."

"What?" Liam growled, moving closer. "Then why let him drink so much?"

"Relax," Derek said, knocking his hand aside. "A bit of sleep and he'll be fine, I promise."

Liam frowned at him suspiciously, but Derek had never lied to him before. "Okay," he said begrudgingly, turning away and walking back to the truck.

Theo had closed the door but wound down the window, leaning his head out.

"Can I have more coffee?" He asked Liam hopefully, face still pale, dark rings under his eyes.

"No," Liam said, frowning at him. "You need to sleep."

Theo pouted, "but I want coffee."

"Theo, you have wolfsbane poisoning. You need rest, not caffeine."

"Oh," Theo frowned. "Why have I done this to myself?"

"Yep, poor decisions on your part." Liam said. "So can I get you something else instead?"

"How about a kiss?" Theo asked, eyes darkening. Liam's eyebrows shot up, and Theo turned away, looking embarrassed for even asking. That, more than anything else, was what decided him.

Liam blushed. "I was thinking more like a bottle of water or something," he muttered. He still moved closer though, until he could feel Theo's breath on his face.

"I'd prefer the kiss, thanks," Theo whispered. He leaned down, brushing his lips over Liam's. It was soft, and sweet, and Liam's body reacted violently, his heart almost beating out of his chest as he reached up, fisting his hands in Theo's jumper and returning his kiss.

When he pulled away, both of them were panting.

"Better?" Liam asked breathlessly.

Theo hummed, looking pleased. "Much."

With a roll of his eyes that was more fond than annoyed, Liam ducked in to kiss his cheek before walking back around the car and climbing into the driver's seat. A few minutes later, Nolan and Brett rejoined them. They were holding hands now, so whatever issue they had been having was apparently now resolved.

The rest of the pack filtered back to their respective cars, and Liam started up the truck, smiling at Theo, who was sitting up now, looking a lot more alert.

"How much longer, do you think?" He asked.

"Scott said another hour or two," Liam shrugged, pulling back onto the highway. Theo nodded, lounging back in the chair, feet up on the dash, head resting near the open window, the wind ruffling his hair. Liam had to physically drag his eyes away from him to look at the road. Instead, he tangled his fingers through the string, trapping it between his hands and the steering wheel, enjoying the feeling of contentment filtering through.

They were one of the last cars to turn up at Scott's house, pulling in on the street behind everyone else. And then he looked up and paused, staring in confusion at the car in the driveway.

"What's wrong?" Theo asked, glancing between Liam and the car.

"It's my parents car," Liam said hoarsely, his stomach dropping. What were they doing here?

He'd barely seen them in weeks. Literally hadn't seen them since he'd been outed as a werewolf in front of half the town. It had hurt, but Liam had focussed on other things, putting it to the back of his mind. But now, well, it looked like it was time to deal with it and he wasn't even remotely ready.

"Liam?" Theo asked, taking his hand.

"I don't know if I can go in there," Liam whispered.

"Why not?" Theo asked quietly. Liam's heart sunk. He'd never told Theo the truth, that his parents had left without a single word or a note. That their phone had been disconnected. That he'd been looking after himself for a few weeks now, lying in bed in his empty house, staring up at the ceiling and fighting back his depression. He'd almost been glad for the hunters. It had given him an excuse to stay at Scott's with Theo, with other people.

"They left me," he said hoarsely. "They must have heard about me being a werewolf, because one day I came home and they were just gone."

"You didn't tell anyone," Theo said. It wasn't a question, but his face was blank. Liam sighed.

"Not once I found out where they were, no," he admitted, looking at the house, guilt and shame and anxiety swirling inside him. "My family left me, were scared of me, and I couldn't handle it."

"At least you have a family," Brett said bitterly from the back seat. Theo whirled around, levelling him with a glare, fangs bared. "Just saying," Brett continued, hands raised in surrender. "If I had an actual family, I'd do anything to be with them."

Next to him, Nolan shifted in his seat, looking and smelling uncomfortable, but Liam couldn't focus on that at the moment.

"I'd almost managed to forget that you're an asshole," Theo sneered.

"No," Liam said with a sigh, summoning up every scrap of bravery in his body, "he's right."

He turned off the truck, chucking the keys back to Theo and getting out. His legs shook with every step he took closer to the house. There was a slam of a door and then Theo was beside him, shoulder brushing reassuringly against his.

"I'm here," he said quietly. "If it's too much, we can just leave."

Liam shot him a grateful look, pausing in front of the door to take a deep, shuddering breath.

It opened, and Scott was there, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. "It's gonna be okay," he said, pulling him inside.

He followed Scott to the kitchen, where Melissa was standing with his mum and stepfather. They all turned, looking at him.

"Liam," his mum breathed, staring at him, her eyes drinking him in.

"Hi," Liam said quietly, eyes flicking up and over both of them before dropping down to his hands, almost covered in red with how much the string was wrapped around them. He needed every vestige of comfort he could get.

"Come sit down," Melissa said gently, leading him to the kitchen table. She sat beside him, and his parents moved to sit opposite them. Theo leaned in the doorway. Liam could feel the calm Theo was sending him and took a deep breath before looking up into his mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said immediately, reaching for his hands across the table.

Liam flinched, and she paused, hands instead flying to her mouth, eyes wide and shiny with unshed tears. His stepfather put an arm around her, kissing the top of her head.

He hadn't realised how much this had affected him until he had them here in front of him. The distance, the way they'd just up and left without a word. Of course he'd gone to the Sheriff, afraid of foul play, but he'd found them staying at Liam's grandmother's place three towns over. Liam didn't know what had been said, but he'd returned, eyes shadowed, patting him on the shoulder, a grimace of pity on his lips.

"You left me," he whispered, staring down at his hands. "I'm sixteen, and you left me behind."

"I know," his mother replied. "I know, and it's unforgivable. I can't even tell you why, I can't explain it, Liam. I wish I could go back in time and make it not happen. Any of it."

Once upon a time he might have agreed with her. Being turned into a werewolf had been horrible, equal parts shameful and terrifying, his control worse than ever before, people trying to kill him left, right and centre. But it had brought him good things too, good people, people who mattered.

He'd toyed with the idea of telling his parents the truth, but he'd had no idea how they would react. His mum still called him baby, still packed lunches for him and washed his clothes. He'd known it would hurt her, and she was safer not knowing, so he'd kept silent. And when they'd left, well, it had just proved he had been right not to tell them.

But Brett was right, too. At least he had a family. He should try to make it right. Even though he was hurt and angry, this was his family. They mattered too.

"I'm still me," he said, looking back up at them, eyes flickering between his parents.

"Of course you are," his stepfather said quietly. "We never doubted that, Liam."

"Then why?" Liam asked, looking at him entreatingly. "How could you leave?"

"Liam," Melissa said gently. "You know the Anuk-ite affected everyone. Fight or flight. Some people fought, some people left. But they came back as soon as it was gone. That's what matters."

He nodded, swallowing past the lump in his throat. Logically, it made sense, but he couldn't just switch off his emotions. They'd abandoned him.

"Are you coming home?" His mum asked, her voice hoarse, raw with emotion.

Liam hesitated and then shook his head. "No," he whispered. "I need some time."

She nodded, tears running down her cheeks. He hated that he'd made her cry, but the thought of going home, of leaving Theo, on top of everything else just felt too much at the moment.

Melissa nodded, breathing deep. She explained that she was happy for Liam to stay with her and that there was plenty of room, despite Liam knowing that the house only had enough bedrooms for Melissa, Theo and Scott; yet she was suggesting that Liam and Isaac may be here long term.

His parents left, Melissa walking them out, and Liam stayed at the table, fingers tingling as he released the string, blood rushing back into them.

"Are you okay?" Theo asked after a moment.

"I think so," Liam said. "They came back. I didn't expect that."

"You didn't tell me they'd left," Theo said, moving to sit beside him, sitting sideways on the chair so that he could see Liam's face. "You just told me they weren't around. Busy."

Liam shrugged. "What does it matter?"

"Of course it matters, Liam," Theo said quietly. "You were hurting and you didn't tell me."

"There was so much other stuff going on," Liam said, turning to look at him. "I just shoved it back, ignored it."

"No wonder you were so angry," Theo said. "I would be angry, too."

And that acknowledgement made Liam stare at him, face crumpling, and he was falling into Theo's arms, sobbing into his chest. Theo's arms were wrapped around him, impossibly tight, soothing him.

"It's okay, Liam," Theo whispered into his hair. "I've got you. I won't ever leave you."

Liam clenched his eyes shut, shuddering, but some of the tension eased. Theo didn't make promises he couldn't keep.

When he was finally calm, he pulled away, swiping at his red eyes with his sleeve, his head aching. He felt empty.

"Come on," Theo said gently, standing and pulling him to his feet. "It's been a long day."

Liam followed him upstairs, eyes dull, letting Theo pull off his clothes until he was in his boxers and shirt, helping him into bed and climbing in beside him.

Theo pulled him to his chest, spooning him, arms wrapped around him. "I got you," he said again, so quietly that Liam had to strain to hear him. "Sleep."

Closing his eyes, he let Theo's heartbeat lull him into sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

_A light knock on the door woke him up._

 _"Come and get some breakfast," Melissa said quietly on the other side of the door. The mouthwatering scent of bacon filtered through from downstairs._

 _"Be down in a minute," Theo replied, his voice hoarse with sleep._

 _She seemed to accept this, moving to the other door and knocking at it. Theo ignored it, looking down at Liam. He was still wrapped around him, his arm a little numb from where Liam's head rested against it. With a happy sigh, Theo snuggled closer, pressing his lips to the back of Liam's neck._

 _The other boy stirred, mumbling sleepily and Theo smiled against his skin. He felt so warm and content, having had a full night's sleep, something that was a rarity for him, and being cuddled up with his soulmate only made it better. The red string was tangled in the sheets around them and seemed to thrum with the contentment he was feeling._

 _Liam turned in his arms, blinking rapidly as he tried to keep his eyes open. He nuzzled into Theo's chest, hands moving under his shirt and pushing it up so that they were skin to skin, the burn of Liam's stubble on his chest making other parts of his body wake up. Theo delicately shifting his hips backwards but Liam, thankfully, didn't seem to notice._

 _"Good morning," Theo whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Liam's head._

 _"Morning," Liam sighed back, lips brushing over Theo's chest and making him shiver. He turned his head to look up at Theo, lips catching on his nipple, and Theo bit back a whine. Fuck, this boy was going to be the death of him. Liam, still half asleep, buried his nose in Theo's neck and deeply inhaled, scenting him._

 _"Liam," Theo said through gritted teeth, trying to wiggle away._

 _"Why do you smell so good this morning?" Liam asked, following him, whining when Theo slipped out of the other side of the bed. His hands, which had still been fisted in his shirt, were now left holding it. Theo knelt beside the bed, taking a shaky breath, but the growing scent of Liam's arousal was doing nothing to help his situation. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to calm his libido. "Theo?"_

 _He ached with the desperate need to crawl back into bed and bury himself in the other boy, to feel and taste and kiss every inch of his body. But god, Liam couldn't even admit that he wanted him yet, and Theo had no intention of rushing this. He had no idea what he was doing, with any of it, but he knew he wanted to do it right._

 _"It's time for breakfast," Theo informed him after a few moments, feeling calmer. He opened his eyes, finding Liam resting up on his elbows, studying his face._

 _Theo didn't wait to see what conclusion Liam came to, getting up and turning his back as he wandered around the room gathering clean clothes and a towel, before leaving the room and claiming the shower._

 _By the time he had showered and dressed, everyone else was downstairs, and Liam avoided his gaze as he sat beside him, passing the tray of bacon to him. Theo thanked him quietly, fingers aching with the tension that was building between them. Eventually it would snap, and Theo wasn't sure if he was terrified or excited._

 _Probably both._

The door clicked shut behind Theo, and Liam let out a huff. He'd thought, for a moment there, that maybe Theo would lean forward and kiss him, giving him what he wanted. He'd smelt so good, happy and turned on and Liam was sure he'd felt his cock against his leg before Theo had almost fallen out of bed in his haste to get away.

He didn't understand at all. Yesterday Theo had asked for a kiss, eyes twinkling as he leaned out of his truck, his lips pouting so beautifully. Everyone else had been around, and Liam didn't even have a chance to be able to deny him.

But now, in the privacy of his own room, with Liam intent on exploring his body, getting to know the dips and planes that made up Theo Raeken, he'd ran away.

Liam rolled out of bed, ignoring his morning wood, willing it down with a scowl. If he touched it, then Theo would know, and Liam still hadn't decided if he was angry or just disappointed. Mostly he was just confused.

He pulled on his jeans from the day before and turned his head, looking to where Theo's shirt was still lying on the bed where Liam had dropped it. With a smirk, he stripped off his shirt and dropped it and picked up the other one, pulling it over his head. His wolf almost leapt out of his chest, happily rumbling at the smell of their mate so close to their skin.

Going down to breakfast, he greeted Scott and Isaac, who were sitting pretty close together, stealing glances. Liam smirked and focussed on filling his plate, one ear listening to Theo move around upstairs.

"Did you sleep okay?" Melissa asked, walking past him and ruffling his hair affectionately.

"Yeah," Liam smiled, smoothing it down. "Thanks for yesterday."

"It's fine," she said, "let me know if you want to talk about it." He nodded, but at the moment his parents were the furthest thing from his mind.

Theo came downstairs, hair still damp and curling around his face. He was wearing sweatpants and a singlet, looking more like he was ready to go to the gym than to school. It was ridiculous how attractive it was.

Liam held his breath as he sat down beside him, passing him the bacon without looking at him. The last thing he needed was to pop a boner around three werewolves. They'd all know in an instant. Theo took the bacon with a muttered thanks, and Liam returned to eating, feeling every millimeter of distance between, almost burning with awareness of the other boy.

"I'm going for a run," Theo murmured, glancing at him and then away, a light flush on his cheeks. "I'll be back in time for school, okay?"

"Okay," Liam said, and Theo was gone and out the door moments later.

Scott and Isaac excused themselves, which left Liam alone with Melissa. He helped her to clear the table, on autopilot while his mind raced.

He felt like he was close maybe, to understanding, like all of the loose threads were starting to come together. The way Theo flinched when someone touched him, and then eventually leaned into it. The way he watched others cuddle with that look of desperate longing on his face. The way he was only just starting to ask Liam for hugs or kisses, and how he looked almost shy when he did it, like he was expecting Liam to say no.

Liam brought it up with Melissa while he was helping her wash up the breakfast dishes.

"So you've noticed it, huh?" She said, passing him a plate. He wiped it and set it on the bench, accepting another one, brow furrowed.

"Noticed what?" He asked.

"That he's touch starved," she said. "I see this sort of thing in the hospital more often than I would like, with abuse victims."

"Theo isn't a victim of abuse," Liam objected.

"Isn't he?" Melissa said gently. "What would you call it?"

Liam frowned, looking down at his hands, at the red string looped around his wrist.

"He was eight when he was taken from his family and was told that the only way he could survive is if he let his sister die and take her heart," Melissa went on when it was clear that Liam had no reply. "He was just a boy."

Liam nodded slowly, remembering what the Dread Doctors had said to them so long ago. "We learned true evil only comes by corrupting something truly good. That's what they were trying to do, taking a little kid, someone innocent, and corrupting him."

"Yes," Melissa said. "And that's how Theo grew up. While you were laughing with friends and playing sport and drinking milkshakes and going to movies and having silly crushes and just generally being a kid, Theo was locked away in a lab, being experimented on, and experimenting on others."

"Oh god," Liam said softly, understanding washing over him, so many minute things clicking into place.

"He doesn't know how to ask for what he wants," she continued. "Because he's never experienced any of that. I know that Theo comes across as confident, but in a lot of ways, he's still just that eight year old kid. If anything is gonna change in your relationship, it's gotta come from you, kiddo."

Scott closed the door behind him, leaning against it and crossing his arms. He was half listening to Liam's conversation with his mum and watching as Isaac moved nervously around the room. A lot of what she was saying applied to Isaac. He was probably one of the cases that she was referring to. Isaac had been deeply affected by his father's abuse, and it had taken a really long time for him to open up to anyone in their pack, instead hiding behind sarcasm and bickering.

Isaac's time with Derek had been like a halfway house; Derek was still slightly mad with the fresh grief of losing his sister and the unexpected power and responsibility of being the alpha. He was at time too rough and too pushy but was still fiercely loyal and protective; and Isaac had begun to change; standing up straighter and looking people in the eyes for the first time in years. It had taken Isaac living with Scott to realise that there was more to him than one of Derek's rescue puppies. It had taken Allison to make him open up and tell them what had really happened.

He remembered one night in particular, Isaac lying with his legs slung over Scott's lap and his head in Allison's lap, both of them gently touching and reassuring them as he told them everything. Scott had bristled with indignance that anyone could treat his sweet Isaac like that, let alone a parent, but Allison had shot him a look that told him it wasn't the time.

It had been the first time that it had been more than sex between them, more than pleasure. It was a connection, real and painful but no less lovely for it.

Scott had struggled for a very long time after Allison's death, still was struggling, really, because in one night he'd lost both of them. Isaac had fled to France, cutting off all contact, although Argent had given him a report every now again to let him know he was alive.

And now he was back, and Scott was sick of dancing around the issue. Every part of his body was straining towards Isaac, wanting to envelop him in his arms and never let him leave again. He was supposed to be packing, finally, for college, but there was only one thing he wanted to take with him, or rather, one person.

"Isaac," he whispered, eyes flashing red as the taller boy continued to move restlessly around the room.

"I-" He said, breaking off with a growl of frustration. "I don't know if I can do this, Scott. I don't know if I can be back here."

"That's fine," Scott said, still not moving, the calm in the eye of Isaac's storm. "Come with me."

Finally, Isaac stopped, turning to stare at him. "Where?"

"College," Scott shrugged. "I have a shitty apartment off campus at Davis. You could come with me."

Isaac blinked at him. "College?" He asked, looking uncertain. He hadn't seemed to have considered college as an option. He'd finished high school in France but had never considered what would come next. "What about Beacon Hills?"

"Liam will still be here," Scott pointed out.

At this, Isaac's frown deepened. "He's so young."

"So were we," Scott smiled faintly. "He has his own pack now. Theo, Mason, Corey, Nolan and Brett. Lori too. My mum will still be here, so will Argent and Deaton. They'll be fine without us."

"Us," Isaac breathed, looking down at his clenched fists.

"If you want," Scott whispered.

Isaac took a deep breath, and then another, summoning up the bravery to meet his eyes. Scott could feel his heart racing in his chest, hope filling him as he stared into Isaac's eyes.

"Okay," Isaac nodded.

"Okay?" Scott asked, finally pushing off from the door and moving closer.

"I'll go with you," Isaac said, looking down at him as he stepped into his personal space. Scott moved slowly, trying not to spook him, gently touching his hips and pulling him flush against him.

"And the other thing?" Scott whispered, breath fanning against Isaac's face.

Isaac's answer was to lean down, his lips tentatively brushing over Scott's, his hands reaching up to grip his shoulders.

Liam sat in the passenger seat of Theo's truck, staring out the window, Melissa's words playing over and over in his head.

If anything is gonna change in your relationship, it's gotta come from you.

Did he want it to change? He was still so confused, but his attraction to the other boy was undeniable. When he'd woken up that morning, he'd wanted nothing more than to spend all day there, his hands on Theo's body and making him sigh.

It was almost distracting him from the anxiety bubbling in his stomach as they got closer and closer to the school. He felt itchy, the need to move thrumming through his body. Theo had had the right idea, going for a run. Liam should have gone as well, maybe then he wouldn't feel like he was about to jump out of his own skin.

"Hey, you okay?" Theo asked quietly.

"No," Liam grumbled.

"Anything I can do to help?" Theo pressed when it was clear that Liam wasn't going to elaborate.

"Turn the truck around and keep driving?" Liam suggested sullenly.

"Tempting," Theo said, his lips quirking as Liam turned to look at him. Theo raised an eyebrow at him and Liam sighed as he went back to staring out the window, watching the houses pass by.

"I don't want to go back there," he whispered eventually. "I just keep thinking. No Gabe in the locker room or the halls. Monroe won't be sitting in her office making me skin crawl as she watches me. And god, even the thought of sitting in Bio without Mrs Finch. It's too much."

"You've been through a lot," Theo agreed. He pulled the car over, and Liam took a shaky breath, feeling how fast his heart was racing.

"Fuck," he cursed, his hands shaking against his legs.

Theo said nothing, waiting as Liam calmed himself down. It took a few minutes, but eventually he felt the panic recede."What do you need today?" Theo asked quietly.

"Just-" Liam said, turning to look at him again. Theo nodded reassuringly. "I need you close today," Liam breathed. "I feel like I'm on the verge of losing it."

"Okay," Theo said. "I'll keep an ear out for you. The second you need me, just say my name and I'll be there." Theo held up the string from where he had a good part of it wrapped around his fist, running his thumb over it sending comfort Liam's way. "Shouldn't take me too long to find you."

Liam smiled at him, relief flooding through him. He didn't think he could face school without him. Maybe, with his pack around him, he might actually get through the day without something going wrong.


	30. Chapter 30

Nolan stood in the car park, staring at Beacon Hills High School. His knees were trembling, as any and all bravery he'd felt since becoming a werejaguar abandoned him. Here, he was just Nolan, Nolan who had been terrified out of his mind, lashing out at anything he saw as different. He'd had Gabe on one side and Monroe on the other, both of them whispering in his ears, threatening him and soothing him in a single breath.

Do what we want, or else.

He hadn't been game to find out what that would entail. They'd had guns. He'd watched them kill. He knew what they were capable of.

"Nolan?" Brett asked.

He shook his head, breaking through the fog of panic to look at the taller boy. "Yeah?" He asked hoarsely.

"Did you hear me?" Brett said, giving him a worried look. "I don't know where the office is, you'll have to show me."

"Sorry," Nolan said quietly. "It's this way."

Brett had to push the door open, nudging Nolan through. He felt his hair bristling, eyes darting around as students turned to stare, lips curling up. It was like just before the Anuk-whatever had been defeated, when everyone had stared at him after Gabe had told everyone he'd shot up Scott's house, but worse, because he could actually hear what they were whispering.

"Look, it's the Holloway kid."

"I can't believe they let him come back here."

"What a psycho."

"Nolan," Brett said firmly. He had placed himself in between Nolan's line of vision and the other students, tilting his head up until he was focussed on him. "They don't know the truth. They don't understand"

"Neither do you," Nolan said, eyes bright with unshed tears. "I hurt people."

"We've all hurt people," Brett said, his jaw set with determination, silver eyes burning. "You just have to vow to do better next time."

"Next time?" Nolan asked, feeling his stomach drop.

"There's always a next time," Brett said gently. "There's always gonna be something coming for us, Nolan."

"Who's that tall guy with the freak?"

"Idiot! That's Brett Talbot, from Devenford Prep."

"Wait, lacrosse hottie with the eight-pack?"

Nolan glanced past Brett to see the two girls ogling him. Anger and something that could be possessiveness flashed through him, and Brett grabbed his arms, holding him in place before he could lunge at them, fangs bared. He pulled him to his chest, arms iron bands around his back.

"Calm down," Brett growled. "Just ignore them, Nolan. They don't matter."

"I can't," Nolan snarled his chest heaving. The girls were still talking, speculating about why they were hugging, about what they got up to behind closed doors. Nolan was seeing red.

"Brett? Nolan?" Liam asked, standing just inside the door and staring at them.

"Help me get him somewhere to calm down," Brett said quietly. Nolan was starting to struggle, and he was strong. It was only a matter of time before he lost control completely.

"Brett," Nolan hissed, claws digging into his back.

"This way," Liam said, taking the lead. Theo walked alongside Brett and Nolan, ready to help grab him if necessary while Liam cleared a path through the halls. He didn't even seem notice the horrible things people were saying about him, but Nolan heard, each nasty word a barb under his skin, each muttered freak and monster a blow to his control.

Liam lead them to the locker room, checking that the coast was clear before ushering them inside. Brett let Nolan go, blocking the door, and the jaguar paced around, eyes flashing bright green, fangs bared as he circled the room with deadly, predatory grace looking every bit like a caged big cat.

"I thought his control was fine," Theo frowned.

Liam sighed. "Yeah, but coming back here was always gonna test that. I should have been more prepared."

"You can't think of everything," Theo said, gripping his shoulder. "What should we do?"

"I remember being like this," Liam said slowly, eyes tracing Nolan's movements around the room. "Scott and Stiles shoved me under cold water until I calmed."

Theo gave him a sceptical look but helped as they both grabbed one of Nolan's arms, shoving him into the shower block.

"Wait," Brett called, but it was too late. Liam had already turned the shower on full blast, drenching Nolan, the werejaguar, in freezing cold water.

With a howl, Nolan ripped his arms free and swiped at them, launching past them and up onto the lockers, snarling, his face almost unrecognisable as his jag took over, his fur standing on end.

"Well done, morons," Brett scowled. "You hosed down the cat."

Liam pouted, rubbing at the healing cut on his cheek. "I didn't think about that."

"Clearly," Brett sighed, leaning against the door and watching Nolan. "At least it isn't the roof this time," he muttered.

"I'll see if Scott has any ideas," Liam sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Scott knocked on the door of the locker room and Brett let him in, his face still as dark as a thundercloud. Not really the best introduction to his new school.

"Liam," Scott said, walking to stand beside him and looking up at Nolan. "What happened?"

"Nolan didn't want to be here in the first place," Brett explained from behind him. "We could hear what people were saying and Nolan started to lose control."

"Ah," Scott said, glancing back at him. His eyes then trailed from Liam and Theo, the blood smeared on their cheeks, down to the water and over to the shower, and finally back up to Nolan. "I see."

"What are we going to do?" Liam asked pitifully, it was his first day on the job; Scott should be packing for school not sorting out his mess.

His first day as alpha of the puppy pack, protector of Beacon Hills and it was already a disaster.

"Well first we get him out of here." Scott said, his eyes alpha red seeming to hypnotise Nolan as he grabbed a towel from a locker. "We wrap cats in towels at the clinic so we don't get scratched before we can give them anesthetic." He held the towel up for Nolan to sniff before standing on a bench to get up high enough to grab him.

"Not you," Nolan hissed, his eyes wide as they darted between each of the wolves in the room.

"Nolan, we have to get you out of here, buddy. We'll take you home," Liam said, Theo close behind him as they stepped forward but stopping when Nolan hissed again.

"Not you," Nolan repeated, his eyes locking on the tall werewolf still blocking the door. The only one who hadn't approached him yet. "I'll go with the stinky dog."

Brett and Nolan had just exited the side door when the three of them froze in their tracks at the sound of a cleared throat behind them. As one, they turned, finding Principal Martin standing there, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed into a glare.

"And where do you think you're going?" She asked, her voice icy.

"I'll just leave you to it," Scott said nervously, inching away.

He was frozen by a single look.

"You've already missed a week of school for who knows what," she said. Liam felt a shiver of spear run down his spine.

"Are we sure she's human?" He hissed to the other two under his breath.

"No one's been brave enough to ask," Scott muttered.

"And now," she interrupted, "I find you trying to sneak out. Explain yourselves."

"I was packing for college and realised I'd left something in the locker room," Scott said, stepping in front of Liam, puppy earnestness perfectly in place. "These guys were helping me look for it."

She pretended to look at Scott's hands, and then Liam and Theo's. "It appears you were unsuccessful," she pointed out.

"Harpy, maybe?" Theo breathed.

Liam made a noncommittal hum. Until he saw wings and claws, he was withholding his judgement.

"Yeah, I guess I must have taken it home already," Scott nodded. "Silly me."

She clearly didn't buy it, but she stood and ushered Liam and Theo ahead of her. "Goodbye Scott," she said, dismissal clear.

"Good luck," Scott whispered, vanishing out the side doors without a single glance back.

Principal Martin deposited them at their first class with a disapproving sniff, the click clack of her heels as she walked away making the two of them shudder. They slunk into the room, taking their seats, heads down, thoroughly chastened.

Liam was too worried about Nolan to pay much attention to what was going on at school. It was a blessing, really, as it meant that he wasn't focussed on his own problems. His pack was far more important. It had helped, too, that Theo hovered at the edge of his consciousness, sending calm and happy vibes to him along the string. It seemed like their connection grew stronger with every passing day.

He burst from the school as soon as the bell rang, rushing down the stairs, leaning against Theo's car, frowning impatiently as he waited for the other boy. He'd been stuck in English, while Theo had been in AP Bio.

"The new teacher is a moron," Theo growled as he stomped towards him a few minutes later. "I never thought I would say that I miss Mrs Finch, but I really do."

"Sketchy?" Liam asked, eyes narrowed.

"Only in how it was possible he got his teaching degree in the first place," Theo said, disgust clear on his face as he shoved his backpack into the back seat of his truck before climbing into the driver's seat.

Liam sighed with relief as he got into the passenger side. Beacon didn't have a good track record when it came to hiring teachers. Couldn't blame him for being paranoid.

"Where to?" Theo asked.

"Brett's place, I guess. I want to check on Nolan," Liam said. He frowned when Theo didn't turn on the engine.

"Am I supposed to know where that is?" Theo drawled.

"Oh, right," Liam flushed. He grabbed his phone, pulling up Brett's address and putting it into the GPS. "There you go."

Theo nodded, studying it for a moment before he turned the car on, pulling out of the car park.

Liam jigged his leg nervously as Theo drove, until the other boy growled, hand flashing out to pin his leg down. "Calm down," he said, glancing at him. "I'm sure he's fine."

"I know," Liam sighed. "But I haven't heard anything from Brett. I'm worried."

"We'll be there soon," Theo reassured him, squeezing his leg before letting go. Liam's eyes dropped to where his leg was still warm from the contact, a light blush on his cheeks. He hadn't realised just how high up his leg Theo's hand had been. Oh boy.

This thought distracted them until they finally reached Brett's apartment. Liam tested the door and found it unlocked, so let himself in.

"Brett?" He called.

"In here," Brett called from the other room.

Liam looked around, brow furrowed. He'd never actually been here before and was surprised by how small and cramped it was. How did Brett and Lori both live here?

With a thoughtful frown, he walked to the first bedroom, peering inside to see Brett stretched out on his bed, a book propped open on his chest.

"Where's Nolan?" Liam asked, scanning the rest of the scant room for the werejag. A hiss from under the bed answered his question.

"He's been there all day," Brett said wearily. "I can't get him to come out."

"Fuck off," Nolan snarled.

Theo hummed, and Liam glanced back at him. "What is it?" Liam asked.

"When he struggles with his control, he reverts to the jag, yeah? Cat behaviour?" Theo asked.

"Pretty much," Brett said slowly. "Why?"

Theo fiddled with his keys, holding up the laser pointer hanging off of it. Brett's eyes widened in understanding, and Theo smirked.

"Why do you even have that?" Liam asked, bemused.

"What?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It's just so… middle school," Liam pointed out with a shrug.

Theo rolled his eyes. "And it's gotten me out of a few tight spots over the years. You'll be surprised what an effective bluff it is when someone thinks you're pointing a sniper rifle at them."

"Oh," Liam said.

Theo brushed past Liam, switching it on, running it slow lazy circles on the floor of Brett's bedroom. A clawed hand snuck out, lazily swatting at it. Theo continued to move it further and further away, until they could see Nolan's head and shoulders, eyes moving swiftly side to side as they followed the laser.

With a flick of his wrist, Theo ran the laser up the wall and Nolan scrambled out from under the bed, climbing on top of Brett, ignoring his cry of pain when his knee hit him in the chest as he tried to catch it. Theo turned the laser off, and Nolan looked around, searching for it, his eyes blazing green.

When he couldn't find it, he turned, spotting Liam and Theo. He narrowed his eyes at them but didn't hiss, which Liam counted as progress. Then he looked down, blinking at Brett, who he was currently straddling. The green dropped away, showing blue, and his skin rippled back to human, cheeks a bright red.

"Sorry," Nolan muttered, getting off and sitting on the edge of the bed, his nostrils flaring as his mind picked apart different chemosignals. Brett gazed at the back of his head with a pained expression, like he would have preferred Nolan to stay.

"You're welcome," Theo winked, turning and walking away.

"You alright, Nolan?" Liam asked.

"Yeah," the other boy whispered, shoulders hunched. Liam shot a look at Brett, feeling helpless.

"I'll call you later," Brett promised.

Liam nodded reluctantly. Nolan seemed to trust Brett more than he did the rest of them, so Liam decided to leave them to it. He paused by the door.

"Want to come over for breakfast in the morning?" He asked them. "Then we can all go to school together."

"A united front, huh?" Brett asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Something like that," Liam said, flicking his gaze from the wolf to the jag still miserably hunched over on the bed. "Nolan?"

"Sure," Nolan whispered. "That sounds nice."

"Cool, see you then," Liam said.

He walked outside to find Theo leaning against his truck, looking bored.

"Mason just sent me a text," Theo informed him as he got closer. "Apparently he and Corey are waiting for us at Scott's place."

"Oh," Liam frowned. "That's weird that he messaged you." He pulled out his phone, shocked by the amount of texts and calls on his phone. He hadn't taken it off silent from school. "Oops."

"You're in trouble," Theo sang, smirking at him as he got back into his car.

"It'll be fine," Liam said optimistically.


	31. Chapter 31

Corey paced behind the couch in the living room, his phone clenched in his fist. Mason was sitting on the couch, chatting quietly with Scott and Isaac. Stiles was leaning in the doorway, while Lydia stood outside with Jackson, Ethan and Derek. Everyone was here, everyone except for Liam and Theo.

He cursed Liam in his mind. They were supposed to be seeing Scott and everyone else off and then heading over to Deaton's, and while Mason had been putting on a brave face, the not knowing had been eating at him. Corey ached for him, hated seeing his boyfriend so utterly miserable.

"Corey," Mason said quietly, turning to look at him.

"He's late," Corey muttered angrily, continuing his pacing.

"He's on his way," Mason pointed out. "You know Nolan needed him."

"Who gives a fuck about Nolan?" Corey exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "He's supposed to be your best friend."

"He is my best friend," Mason said. "Why are you so worked up over this?"

Corey clenched his hands into fists, fighting back to the urge to put it through a wall. He was angry because he felt helpless, and here they finally were, able to go and get the help they needed and Liam was late.

Mason stood up, catching Corey's hands in his and gently prying them apart. Each of his palms held the crescent moon imprints of his claws. They healed, and Mason wiped away the blood. Corey sighed, dropping his gaze as Mason interlocked their fingers.

"I know, okay?" Mason said quietly. "I know this is because of what happened last time, but this is different, and it isn't Liam's fault."

"I know," Corey said in a small voice.

Mason pulled him into a hug and Corey buried his face in his neck, breathing in his boyfriend's scent, letting it soothe him. They heard Theo's truck pull up, and everyone else wandered outside. Corey reluctantly let Mason go, but Mason made a noise of objection, nuzzling Corey's neck, his hands gripping the back of his shirt.

Corey smiled. "You're so adorable."

At this, Mason finally pulled away to look up at him. "I know," he smirked. He leaned in, kissing Corey softly. "Feel better now?" He asked.

"Much," Corey whispered against his lips, capturing them for another, longer kiss.

"Oops," Liam said again as he saw how many people were standing around outside Scott's place.

"Why is the whole pack here?" Theo asked, looking confused as he turned off the truck.

"They're all leaving today," Liam sighed, undoing his seatbelt. He pouted, looking at Scott, who was leaning up against Stiles' jeep.

"Oh," Theo said, looking uncertain.

Liam didn't need to touch the string to know what he was thinking. The pack had been strong together, and now they were all leaving, spreading out across the world.

"You still have me," Liam said quietly.

Theo swallowed, giving Liam an imperceptible nod. "Come on," he said, voice rough.

They got out of the truck, walking over to join the others.

"I was starting to think you got lost," Scott smirked, pulling Liam into a headlock and ruffling his hair. Liam squirmed, trying to break his hold.

"Scott," he whined.

"Alright puppy," Scott said, releasing him. "Calm down."

Liam rolled his eyes, before tackling Scott with a hug, sending them both crashing to the ground. Maybe it was childish, but Liam didn't care. Scott was the first person to look at him and see more than his IED. He was going to miss his alpha.

Eventually he let Scott up, and they looked at other, as if memorising the other's faces. "You'll let me know if you need me," Scott said quietly.

"I will," Liam nodded.

Scott smiled, and then they both turned to look at Theo, who had that longing in his eyes again.

Liam grabbed him, pulling him into a hug, his other arm wrapping around Scott. Theo objected, but the two of them laughed, holding him tight against their bodies, squeezing him.

"I'm gonna miss you, Theo," Scott said quietly after they finally released the other boy. "Keep an eye on this one for me, won't you?"

"Someone has to," Theo smirked, but his eyes showed his relief. Scott grinned at him, patting his shoulder.

"We should go," he said to Isaac.

Liam grabbed Theo's hand, sadness welling up inside him. Theo jumped slightly, and Liam glanced at him to find Theo looking down at their interlocked fingers.

Everyone else filtered past, giving Liam hugs and ruffling his hair, and he smiled at each of them, feeling his heart grow heavier with every person that climbed into their car and left.

Eventually all that was left was the two of them, and Derek, who was quietly chatting with Melissa. He handed her some keys, which she took, looking surprised, and then with a wave he climbed into his sexy black sports car and left.

"Guess it's just us," Melissa sighed, tucking the keys into her pocket. Liam met her gaze, nodding slowly. "Come on, I'll make you boys something to drink before you go."

"Go?" Theo asked, following after her. "Go where? No one tells me anything," he complained.

"Deaton's," Liam reminded him. "We need to figure out what's going on with Mason."

"Oh right, that's today?" Theo asked. Liam nodded, squeezing Theo's hand as a hint of nervousness appeared on his face. He hated having to talk about anything to do with the Dread Doctors.

They walked inside, and Liam greeted Mason and Corey, flopping onto the couch with a sigh.

"You boys want something to drink as well?" Melissa asked, poking her head into the lounge room.

"Yes please, Mrs McCall," Mason responded politely. Corey nodded as well, giving her a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. Liam could smell his anxiety and anger, and sighed. Until they figured out what was going on with Mason, none of them would be able to find any rest, that was obvious.

There were two people hunched over the stainless steel bench in the animal clinic when they arrived. One was Deaton, who merely glanced up when they entered before focusing back on the mixture of herbs he was muddling together.

The other Liam had never seen before was a thin, dark skinned woman who was flicking through something on an iPad while also cross checking something in a worn, grubby journal. At the sight of the journal, Theo stiffened, pulling on the string to jerk Liam back.

"No good can come from that book," he snarled, Liam feeling terror pour through the string as Theo fought to control his shift.

"Calm down Theodore. If we are going to help Mason we need to fully understand what the Dread Doctors did to him," Deaton said, only glancing up for a moment, just enough to gesture at the woman. "This is my sister, I needed her expertise for this problem we have here."

"Morelle," the woman offered. Liam observed her. She seemed vaguely familiar. "I've suddenly found myself with a lot of spare time." She smiled sadly before going back to whatever was open on the tablet.

"Right, Mason. Remove your shirt and come take a seat," the vet said, patting the metal worktop. Mason moved forward, stripping his shirt and handing it to Corey. When he was settled on the bench, Morelle pulled out a stethoscope, listening to his chest for a moment before nodding and shining a light into Mason's eyes. For the first time Liam noticed the way the light bounced off.

"Are you a doctor?" Liam asked, wondering if maybe he remembered the woman from working with his father at some point.

"Not quite. A clinical psychiatrist. But I did the rounds in med school and picked up a few tricks," she said, jotting some notes into a fresh, clean notebook.

"Right. Mason, this may sting," Deaton said, proceeding to cover Mason's chest in all manner of pastes and liquids, murmuring to his sister who was taking rapid notes. When he appeared to exhaust his tests, he sighed and made eye contact with his sister before handing Mason some wet wipes to clean himself down.

"Well Mason, it appears whatever you are has little to do with the supernatural," Deaton stated. Morelle frowned. "And the nightmares are getting worse?"

"Worse than before he was the Beast," Corey answered and Mason scowled. Liam whipped around, looking between Mason and Corey.

"You never told me it was that bad," Liam said quietly.

"He tried, but you were distracted with your new pet-" Whether he meant Theo or Nolan was unclear.

"Hey!" Mason interjected taking his shirt from Corey and pulling it on over his head. "It's fine," he told the emissaries.

"Well I have options for the nightmares," Morelle said, rummaging through her designer handbag. "These will tell your body to sleep and this brewed into a tea will tell your mind." She held up an orange pill bottle and a canister with a series of runes printed on it.

"We'll get to the bottom of this Mason," Deaton said. Liam looked around the room and from the looks on his friend's faces, they all weren't so sure.

He turned the radio down, slowing down slightly as he passed the sign, cheerily stating, You are now entering Beacon Hills. Have a nice stay! Scoffing, he flicked his cigarette out the open window and glared at every passing tree and shrub like they had personally offended him.

He wasn't here for a nice time. He was here on business.

He was here for Scott McCall and his pack.


	32. Chapter 32

Melissa had always been a patient woman.

She'd been a nurse for years, the wife to an alcoholic, workaholic husband and still managed to raise a True Alpha.

Melissa had known that the day was coming when raising her kid would no longer be her number one priority. Being a single parent meant that dating was pretty limited and spending the night with anyone was impossible particularly when your son could literally sniff out any interaction she may have with men. She looked forward to a bit of silence and maybe finally acting on the years of flirting with a particular member of the Beacon Hills Police Department.

But since Scott and Isaac had left, together with only Scott's double mattress for the tiny apartment Raph had set up for them, Melissa's house and life had been overrun with teenage boys.

Melissa's life had never been easy. She'd married young, and before she could really get used to being a wife, suddenly she was a mother. But somehow she never thought that her transition to empty nester would somehow involve her very not-supernatural house being overrun with supernatural teenage boys.

Her heart bled for them, each was far too young for the hand they had been dealt.

Nolan was still on edge most of the time; setting into his new powers and instincts. Sudden movements would have him bolting from wherever he was sleeping to either the highest point in the room or under whatever piece of furniture he could wedge himself under.

Brett she couldn't quite get a handle on. He seemed to have two very different personalities. On the one hand, he was very aware of Nolan and his needs, which was sort of sweet. But when Nolan was pissed off, he backed the hell off and watched with beady eyes, reluctant to intervene. She could sort of understand that though, from what she'd seen, Nolan's claws were sharp. The other Brett, the one she was already far too far familiar with, seemed to take great joy in pissing Liam and Theo off, doing his absolute best to drive them up the wall. He couldn't seem to help it, but god she wished he'd just try. She was utterly sick of coming home to find them scrapping, because it always, always, ended in violence. Bloody werewolves.

Liam was sheepish, not officially living in the house and still sharing in with Theo despite Scott's room having been vacated. Melissa chose to ignore it; there were worse things than the two boys spooning together for comfort; like the fact that Liam appeared to be a stress eater. And attempting to be reunited with his parents was very stressful. They'd decided that the Geyer's would come for a meal once a week in order to reconnect with their son. Melissa had acted as mediator and by the end of the dinner she wished for the exhaustion of a week of night shifts being topped off with a double.

Theo tried, boy could she see him trying. He reminded her so much of Isaac when he had first moved in; so eager to please but not sure how to be part of a functioning family. For the most part he was good; his homework was done and his room was neat. He cooked and would make sure that there was lunch for her hidden from Liam in the fridge.

But even teenagers with the best of intentions are still teenagers, and the best of intentions go out the window when there is a laser pointer involved.

Melissa's overnight shift in the emergency room had turned into a double and she was bone tired. Every muscle in her body ached and the soles of her feet just felt numb. The entire drive home was filled with lusty thoughts about her bathtub and the bath bombs that Scott had liberated from the fancy mansion his pack had holidayed in.

But it wasn't to be.

Instead of walking in to her clean, empty nest, she arrived home to chaos in the zoo.

The couch and cushions were in tatters, foam and cotton littering the room, feathers from the throw pillows still floating through the air. In the middle of the room was a guilty looking Theo, holding his keychain out in front of him like he was waiting for it to attack. As she moved further into the house, her rage bubbling under her skin and in the pit of her stomach she came across Brett and Liam, bent down by the buffet in the dining room where a very pissed off Nolan was riled up, spots and all, swiping anytime either boy tried to reach for him.

Melissa didn't yell, but her voice shook when she finally spoke; her voice tight and quiet.

"What have you done?"

"Melissa, I didn't think he'd react like that. I am so sorry." Theo said quickly, eyes glassy as they darted between the seething woman and the situation in the dining room.

"That's the problem. You boys never think." Melissa was sure that if she looked at her reflection there was a good chance steam would be coming from her ears.

"Melissa-" Theo started again but was cut off when she raised her hand.

"I am going to run a bath and when I am done there will not be a single supernatural thing in my house."

"Melissa, I'm sorry," Theo whispered, tears spilling over.

It wasn't until Melissa was submerged in the steaming bathwater, glass of wine in hand that she realised what she had done.

Theo wasn't sure where the other boys ended up. After Melissa, the closest thing to a mother he had had in years, had thrown him out he'd left his keys with Liam, shifted behind a bush and made tracks for the preserve.

Since being bitten, his full shift felt different. He'd always enjoyed the sense of freedom it brought, but now it also brought with it a sense of calm and control and a deeper connection with the wolf inside him. For a little while he could let the wolf take control and that in itself was a different kind of freeing.

Without realising it, his wolf brought him to the bridge where his sister died.

The bridge where he killed her.

Let her die.

Whatever way he looked at it, this was not a place for happy memories.

Theo and his wolf fought for control as they paced back and forth on the bridge. Eventually they compromised and Theo found himself halfway on the bridge, his head in his paws and staring at the water.

He imagined the lilys he had thrown into the water, seeing them in his mind's eye as the water gurgled beneath him. He was a failure as a son, as a brother, he was a subpar friend at best and now he had hurt Melissa. Surely soon Liam would see him for who he was and leave him too and then he would be alone.

An omega.

A lone wolf.

He didn't know how long he sat there, staring at the water when a frantic heartbeat drew his attention.

"Theo?" Melissa said hesitantly, dressed in a ratty looking tracksuit as she made her way onto the bridge. Something in the back of Theo's mind registered that Melissa hadn't spent much time around a fully shifted wolf and recognised in the flutter of her heart that she was fighting every sense in her body not to flee, just to be here with him.

"Theo, when I said leave, I didn't mean forever." She said quietly, shuffling forward until she was close enough to join him sitting on the edge of bridge, sitting to dangle her legs over the edge.

"Once you were gone, the house was quiet and I realised-" Melissa paused to take a couple deep breaths. "I realised what I said to you."

The wolf dropped his ears back and whined and Theo balked at himself for allowing his wolf to show such a weakness. It was instinctual, and Theo was fighting hard against his wolf not to roll over and show his belly to the woman who had given him so much.

She had forgiven him.

He had killed her son and tortured his friends and still she gave him a shoulder and a bed and a place to heal and yet he still couldn't be worthy.

Could he ever be worthy?

His mind went to Liam and everything he had felt pouring through the string over the past weeks. The way he felt when he woke up to a warm and sleepy Liam in his arms.

It was only a matter of time before Liam left him too.

"Theo, you need to know I would never kick you out," Melissa said quietly.

'But it's for the best,' Theo thought.

"My house will always be your home, you will always be welcome but-"

'But.'

"You know that we've been struggling for years right?" Melissa said, shuffling where she sat. "With money. We've had the power turned off and I've honestly had more conversations with the debt collectors than hot dates."

Theo pricked up an ear, not wanting to miss a word of what Melissa was telling him. After everything, she still wanted to share with him.

"When Derek left to go help Raph he offered me a job," she explained. "Well, gave me a job. He's paying me to watch the loft. He wants it ready to go in case he wants to come back. He wants me to make sure the building is fine and to keep an eye on the handyman he hired and make sure they were doing their job."

Theo was well aware how hard Melissa worked. She was a proud woman. A survivor. When he was looking at ways to break Scott he familiarised himself with the families problems as a potential in.

"The hospital is still rebuilding, I have more shifts than I know that to do with and we are inducting people as fast as possible but the easiest solution I see for the time being is for you look after the loft for me."

Theo didn't even try to stop his wolf from flopping on its side and leaning into Melissa.

"You wouldn't be moving out. It's not permanent," Melissa said, letting her fingers card through the soft fur behind Theo's ears. "I'd still be getting the money from Derek. You'd be helping me. The key is in the bowl at home." Theo again couldn't stop his wolf from letting out a whine when Melissa added quietly, her voice barely a whisper,

"I need your help, Theo."

Melissa had left Theo alone on the bridge and for a long while he just sat and just looked at the water.

It wasn't until the first glow of dawn touched the horizon that Theo realised he had shifted back.

It wasn't until the high school cross country team came upon him that he realised he was naked.

He had decisions to make.

And for the first time in his life, he had options.

Theo shifted back into his wolf form, keeping the animal inside him tightly under control as he made his way back through the preserve. He wasn't all that surprised when a tug on the string led him to the car park and to Liam, leaning against his truck with his arms folded.

Liam's eyes widened when he saw him shift and he rushed forwards, enveloping him in a hug.

"Oh my god, I've been so worried," he said, burying his face in Theo's neck. Theo let the other wolf hold him, but made no move to return the gesture. He still felt… conflicted. There was a part of him that would probably always feel like he would never be good enough for Liam, that he had never done enough to right the wrong he had done, but it was hard to remember that when Liam's arms were around him.

"I'm fine," he said quietly.

Liam scoffed, pulling away. His eyes drifted down and then he blushed, as if just realising that Theo was naked. Staring up at the sky, cheeks on fire, he took off his hoodie and wrapped it around him blindly, leading him over to the truck where he grabbed a pair of sweats from the back seat and helped him into them. It was only when Theo was dressed that he realised how cold he had been, and he gave a relieved sigh as Liam pulled him close once more, letting his warmth soothe him.

"So what happened?" Liam asked, his voice muffled against Theo's neck.

"Melissa is kicking us out," Theo said. Liam looked shocked, reeling back and opening his mouth but Theo held up a hand to stop him. "She told me that Derek asked her to look after the loft while he's gone. She's asked me to stay there and be the one to look after it instead."

"Oh," Liam said, mouth snapping shut as he considered this. Eventually he sighed. "I guess we were getting a little underfoot."

Theo hummed in agreement, looking down to where his fingers were rubbing the red string between them. He felt shy, all of a sudden. Liam had been more or less living with him anyway, but this felt different.

"Theo?" Liam asked, sensing the change in his mood immediately.

"I-" Theo began but then stopped, unable to bring himself to ask. He shook his head, frustrated, and went to walk past Liam, who stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"You can ask me," he said quietly.

Theo looked up at him, seeing the sincerity shining in his eyes. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded. "Will you come with me?" He asked.

"To check the place out? Of course," Liam said, staring straight into Theo's eyes. Theo steeled himself, ready to try it again and get it right.

"No, will you stay there with me?"

Liam smiled, and it was like the sun, blinding and filled with warmth, and Theo's eyes watered, unable to look away. "Of course, Theo," Liam said, hand sliding down his arm, intertwining their fingers together. "I'd love to."

Theo gave him a shy smile, ducking his head, but Liam was having none of it, using his other hand to tilt Theo's chin up and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

He sighed, melting into it, still in awe of the fact that he could do this now, he could kiss Liam and feel his smile against his lips.

Back at the McCall house, Melissa helped them pack up some stuff. She filled a few boxes with things she swore she didn't need any more and promised that she would help track down anything they found themselves needing.

When Nolan turned up to help, Melissa took Theo aside, letting Liam and the werejaguar move the few meagre boxes out to the truck.

"You know that if this is too much, you can stay here, right?" Melissa said, her face sincere as she leaned back on the kitchen cabinet.

"I know. And as much as I wish that this was happening differently, I think it's time." Theo smiled sadly. "It's a completely new start for me and I am never going to be able to repay you."

"Well," Melissa said, patting her under eyes dry as to not mess up her mascara. "You can start with dinner once a week." Theo pulled her into a tight hug, breathing in deep the comforting smell of mother .

"You got it." Theo said with a soft smile when they pulled apart.

"Right, now, off you go." Melissa said with a sniff, pushing Theo towards the front door and towards Liam.


	33. Chapter 33

In the time since becoming a werejaguar, Nolan had noticed a drastic change in his body. He didn't really look like a teenager anymore. Surprisingly, no one else seemed to have noticed, maybe because they happened gradually over a few weeks, rather than all at once.

But Nolan, examining his upper body and face in the reflection of the mirror in the tiny cramped bathroom of Brett and Lori's apartment, could tell the difference. He was definitely taller, though whether that was because he had actually grown or because he'd stopped slouching so much, it was hard to tell. Pre-jag, he'd been pretty much the same height as Liam, but now he stood a few centimeters taller.

He was still lithe, but his muscles were more pronounced, his shoulders becoming more broad and his arms and chest filling out. He was struggling to fit into his old shirts; a new feeling of self consciousness had buried itself in the back of his mind by how tight they stretched across his chest.

Nolan's face was quite different as well. He'd lost the boyish look, his jaw had more definition, and his nose was a little thicker.

The hair on his body had darkened slightly, now more gold than the blonde peach fuzz that he was used to. Nolan rubbed at his chin, feeling the stubble there and trying to imagine himself bearded and just how Brett would react to that.

Whether all of these changes could be attributed to the transition or puberty, Nolan wasn't sure. His best guess was that being bitten had sped up the process slightly.

He finished drying off from his shower and wrapped the towel around his waist.

There were other changes as well, changes that he was eager to explore with his boyfriend, but Brett was being stubborn.

Nolan had been doing his best to convince Brett he was ready, and with the locker room escapade, he'd managed to communicate that at least, but now Brett was pushing him away again, because he had it in his mind that their first time needed to be perfect.

Which was a sweetness that Nolan hadn't been expecting, although he should have. The tough exterior that Brett showed the world, the sneering, the sarcasm, the insults, was just a mask. Underneath it all, Brett cared deeply, and the way that he'd silently supported Nolan through his transition had only made Nolan more enamoured with him. He wasn't with Brett for his looks, though he was certainly attractive, but because he was drawn to the man he'd only seen glimpses of.

Walking back into Brett's room, he felt his boyfriend's eyes burning into his back from where he was sitting on his bed. Normally Nolan would just walk up to him and try and kiss him, but that hadn't been working. It was time for a new tactic.

He went through Brett's wardrobe, smirking when he saw it.

"Alright if I borrow a shirt?" He asked casually.

"Uh, yeah that's fine," Brett said. Nolan glanced back at him but Brett looked away.

Turning back, he grabbed Brett's old lacrosse jersey and pulled it on over his head. He buried his nose in the collar, inhaling his scent and sighing happily. He could hear Brett's heart pick up and hid his grin as he pulled out a clean pair of briefs and dropped his towel, pulling them up.

Wearing his jersey. Bare legs. According to the copy of Cosmo Nolan had stolen from Lori's room, this was one of the five guaranteed ways to "drive your man wild."

A bit cliche, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

He walked back into the bathroom, examining it. Despite all the growing Nolan had done in the past few weeks, the jersey still swallowed him. It was long, covering most of his ass, making it look like he wasn't wearing anything underneath it. Best of all, though, was the fact that it had 'Talbot' emblazoned across the back. That, along with their combined scents, would be what would drive Brett wild, sending his possessive streak reeling.

Or so Nolan hoped.

Nolan settled into the couch, turning on the flat screen TV and flicking through the channels, looking for something to watch.

He heard Brett moving around and then the shower starting up. Nolan smirked, choosing something and settling back to wait.

Twenty minutes later, Brett walked in dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and nothing else. Nolan glanced at him and then away, biting his lip. How could he walk around looking like that and expect Nolan not to touch?

Brett sat down on the couch beside him. Although Nolan was staring at the television, he could feel Brett's eyes on his bare legs. It was definitely working.

Nolan sighed, shifting slightly and then moved to lie down, putting his legs in Brett's lap. The hiss of breath that left Brett's mouth was delicious. He tensed up, and it was almost five minutes later before Brett finally relaxed enough to place a hand on Nolan's leg, his thumb rubbing in distracting little circles on his ankle.

Nolan shifted again, still not happy.

"You okay?" Brett asked, eyes dark as he looked over at Nolan.

"I'm cold," he said, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.

"Could have something to do with you not wearing pants," Brett pointed out dryly.

"Oh, so you did notice?" Nolan said, smirking at him and stretching. His arms rose above his head, pulling the jersey up slightly and showing off his inner thighs.

Brett grabbed the throw blanket from beside him and chucked it over Nolan. He stared down at the warm, fuzzy green blanket and cursed himself for bringing the stupid thing over in the first place. This wasn't what he wanted at all. He wanted Brett.

He stared at the side of Brett's face, who was now stubbornly and single-mindedly glaring at the television screen.

"You know that's not what I wanted," Nolan said after a moment.

Brett nodded curtly and Nolan felt something inside of him start to ache. He didn't even want to cuddle anymore? With a huff, he kicked off the blanket and curled up into a ball, his back facing Brett.

Brett sighed, staring at Nolan. The blond boy was curled in on himself, tension clear in the curve of his spine. He reached a hand towards him but Nolan hissed, flinching away from the contact. Brett kicked himself. Why couldn't he ever do or say the right thing?

The blond was driving him to distraction, and he didn't know how to handle it. Nolan wasn't like anyone else he'd ever been with. He was special. He wanted their first time to be momentous, to be mind-blowing, to be the best it possibly could be. And to not be on the tiny bed in his shitty apartment where he'd had meaningless sex with countless strangers.

He'd bought new sheets of course, but he was still paranoid that he could smell them in there, haunting him, tainting the feeling of having Nolan cuddled up to him at night. He would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, heart sinking, the same thought running in circles around his mind. He wasn't good enough for Nolan.

Nolan left to go to Liam's place. Apparently they were studying, and Brett moped around his apartment, missing him and feeling pathetic. He picked things up and put them down again, started chores he had no intention of finishing and then for a long while just chased Nolan's scent around the small space of the apartment.

It wasn't until his face was buried in the towel Nolan had used post shower that the weight of how pathetic he truly was hit him.

Since when did Brett Talbot pine?

Half an hour of pointless activities later, the key sounded in the lock and Brett rushed towards the door, heart leaping into his throat.

"Excited to see me?" Lori asked, giving him a bemused look, dumping her keys in the bowl by the door and kicking off her shoes.

She sat on the couch with a tired sigh, stretching out in the exact same place where Nolan had been earlier. Her nose twitched, and she looked up at Brett.

"Why does it smell like misery in here?" She asked.

Brett scowled but said nothing. Lori watched him, face expressionless. After a minute, she patted her hand on the couch next to her, indicating for him to sit. He did so, staring stonily down at his clenched fists.

"I fucked up," he whispered.

"Whatever it is, you can fix it," she said confidently.

"I don't know if I can," Brett admitted. He shrank in on himself, feeling small and sad. Lori sighed and shuffled closer, pressing her side against his and offering him silent support.

"Tell me what happened," she said gently.

And so he did; the words coming out like only word vomit can. He poured his heart out to her, telling her about how much he liked Nolan, how much he wanted to be with him, how he wanted it to be perfect, and how utterly unworthy he felt. When he finally ran out of words, he realised that he was leaning with his head on Lori's shoulder, his throat sore and chest aching.

When it was clear that he was done talking, Lori eased him up, looking at him sternly.

"I'm going to say this once, and once only Brett Talbot," she said, glaring at him. He sat up, eyeing her warily. She rarely used this tone of voice with him, and when he did, he knew better than to ignore her. "You're being an idiot and pushing away someone that you love. You're obsessed with making everything so perfect because you're afraid that if it isn't, Nolan will leave you."

Brett gasped, feeling the truth strike at his heart and settle in his bones. She was right. He did feel that way.

She smacked his chest, drawing his attention back to her. "I'm not done. Look, Nolan's just as crazy about you as you are about him, even a blind person could see that. Nolan doesn't want expensive dates and flowers and presents. He just wants you. Your first time together will be perfect because of how you feel about each other, not because you hung up fairy lights or how many rose petals you have scattered on the bed."

"Oh," Brett said, frowning and feeling foolish.

"Now, if you're done being stupid, you should go get your man," she said, standing up and ruffling his hair as she walked past.

Brett nodded, his chest feeling lighter. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"You're welcome," she called back. "Gonna have to find a new apartment." The last was muttered under her breath, but Brett heard it anyway, smiling and shaking his head.

He stood up, going into his room and grabbing a shirt and pulling on some shoes. Lori was right, it was time to go and find Nolan, to sort this out before it drove an even bigger wedge between them.

Unsurprisingly, Liam and Nolan were at the McCall house. They were not, however, doing homework.

Brett stood in front of the house, uncertain as to what he was looking at.

Theo nodded as he brushed past him, placing his bag in the back of his truck as well as a rolled up duvet. Liam trailed behind him with a stack of towels, and Nolan bringing up the rear with a big plastic box with a mixture of plates, cups and cutlery inside.

Nolan frowned at him but said nothing, following the other two back inside the house. Brett fell into step, only becoming more confused as they moved into the kitchen, where Melissa was digging through a cupboard, pulling out some plastic containers and bowls.

"This too," she said, indicating the box beside her, which Theo picked up. "Liam, you go get the last of the things from the bedroom."

"What's going on?" Brett asked Nolan.

"Theo's moving out," Nolan said quietly. He smelt guilty and Brett's heart sank. Was this because of them?

"Into Derek's loft," Melissa said, standing up with both hands on her hips, considering him. "He's doing me a favour, to be honest. I don't have time to look after it for Derek, and then maybe the shenanigans will move there instead." She gave the two of them a pointed look, before drifting back upstairs.

Brett looked down at Nolan. "She's scares the crap out of me," he admitted.

"Me too," Nolan said quietly, smiling, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "We've nearly finished loading up Theo's truck. I'm gonna go help them unpack as well." He looked at Brett, hesitating.

"I could help too," Brett suggested. "Many hands make light work and all that."

"Sounds good to me," Liam said, poking his head into the kitchen. "We'll meet you guys there?"

Brett said nothing, leaving it up to Nolan, who was studying him keenly. "Sure," he said after a moment. "See you in a bit."

Liam nodded and walked out. They heard Theo's truck start up and move down the street.

"I'm sorry," Brett said. "I've been a jerk."

"You have," Nolan agreed. "And are you done being a jerk?"

"Yes," he said firmly.

Nolan looked wary, but nodded, seeming to accept it. "We'll talk about it later," he said quietly.

"We will," Brett agreed. He stepped closer, pulling Nolan into a hug, feeling him relax against him. Until that moment, Brett hadn't realised how much he'd missed this, how much he'd been pushing Nolan away. "I really am sorry," he murmured into Nolan's neck. Nolan wrapped his arms around him, squeezing him before letting go.

"Let's go," Nolan said shyly, slipping his hand into Brett's. He beamed down at him, letting the blond lead him out of the house.

He couldn't believe he'd nearly driven him away over something so stupid. Brett got into his car, waiting until Nolan was in and buckled up before turning it on. From now on, he vowed, he'd do better.

Nolan read out the directions Liam had texted to him and soon they pulled up out the front of Derek's building.

It was in the old industrial part of Beacon Hills, a mammoth 'U' shaped building that had once been home to a factory of some kind. Now, the courtyard at the entrance had been carefully landscaped to reflect the trendy industrial look of the building.

"Liam said Derek owns the whole building," Nolan whispered, looking shocked.

They both got out of the car, a little awed. "I can see why Melissa said Theo would be doing her a favour by looking after it for her," Brett said. "This place is huge. Just getting in it everyday would be a task and a half." A pang of jealousy filled his chest. His tiny apartment would fit in one room of this whole building.

They found Theo and Liam in front of the main doors, talking quietly.

"Glad to be moving up in the world, Raeken? So, which one are you staying in?" Brett nodded to the call list of doorbells by the intercom, noting that a few were still blank.

"Derek's loft," Theo said with a frown. "Melissa said it's the big one right on top." They all looked up.

"This place has changed so much." Liam said, looking around. "It used to be so creepy, lots of broken glass and peeling walls and I swear every other apartment was empty." Now, the building was a sleek modern grey, offset by the dark window frames and railings. They could see plants on fire escapes, making the place look lived in.

"You're gonna stay in grandad Hale's apartment?" Brett asked, as they entered the foyer, his eyebrows raised as he looked around. Liam snorted, eyes darting as though he expected Derek to jump out and growl at them. When no one came, he relaxed, and Brett smirked at him.

He followed the others into the main lobby where there was an elevator.

"You guys go up," Brett suggested. "We'll start getting stuff out of the truck."

Theo nodded, and they got into the elevator, leaving Brett and Nolan alone.

They walked back outside, hand in hand. Brett still felt a little guilty for how he'd been treating Nolan. He missed simple things like this, holding his hand, and he only had himself to blame for it.

"You okay?" Nolan asked.

"I should be the one asking you that," Brett said. Nolan just sighed, leaning into his side and Brett wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. The way that Nolan relaxed into him made him smile and he lost track of time, just nuzzling into his neck and enjoying his warmth.

All too soon they were interrupted by Mason and Corey.

"Hey guys," Mason said, approaching them. Brett turned, nodding in greeting. Corey was looking up at the building.

Brett grabbed one of the boxes from the back of Theo's truck, and the others followed suit. Between the four of them, they managed to grab everything and Nolan lead them back inside.

"I can't believe they're going to be living here," Corey sniffed, his disapproval clear.

"You're just jealous," Mason teased, kissing his cheek. "No parental supervision."

"Damn right I'm jealous," Corey said, pressing the button for the elevator. The four of them stood there awkwardly, waiting for it.

Brett didn't really know what to say. Mason was pissed at him for niggling at Liam and Theo. Corey was pissed at him for pissing off Mason. And neither of them were big fans of Nolan either. Not for the first time, Brett wondered what he'd been thinking when he'd asked to join this pack. The silence stretched, all of them averting their eyes.

Liam and Theo must have heard the elevator moving, because it took them straight up to the fifth floor. The doors opened, showing the two of them standing in the hallway waiting.

"How does it look?" Nolan asked, striding forward, eager to leave the tense silence of the elevator.

"Crazy nice," Liam said with a soft smile. "This way."

"Oh, wow," Nolan said, looking around. Brett followed his gaze, taking in the lightly furnished room. There was a couch but no television, a table and chairs and a fridge. The room was dominated by an enormous bed that looked comfy as hell.

There were other doors, thick industrial looking things that seemed to have come with the building and a spiral staircase, but poking around in Derek's apartment felt weird, so they all stayed on the first floor of the apartment.

"All the basics," Mason noted, looking past Brett and nodding slowly.

"It'll do," Theo smiled. Liam was looking at him with his heart in his eyes, and Brett looked away, swallowing past the lump in his throat. He found Nolan watching him, and smiled. Nolan smiled back, moving closer and taking his hand.

"Where should we put all your stuff?" Nolan asked, lifting up the box he was carrying.

All six of them made short work of unpacking Theo and Liam's belongings. It was still awkward, but a little less had a way of drawing them all into the conversation, and before he knew it, Brett was perched on one of the chairs at the dining room table with Nolan and Liam, chatting quietly, while Mason and Corey sat on the couch. Theo was downstairs waiting for the pizza to be delivered.

"I can't believe you guys are gonna be living here together," Nolan said quietly.

"Like you can talk," Liam said, amused, looking between Nolan and Brett's linked hands. Nolan flushed, and Brett smirked at him.

"So it's going well then?" Nolan asked, swallowing down his embarrassment. "You and Theo?"

"Yeah, I think so," Liam said, scratching the back of his neck. "We're sort of dating."

The urge to roll his eyes was almost overpowering. The sexual tension between the two boys had been driving him insane for months. And now that they were going to be living together, it was going to be so much worse. Hopefully the two of them sorted out their shit, and quickly.

Thankfully, Mason spoke up before he could voice this.

"If you two are sort of dating, then Corey and I are just friends," he said dryly. Corey snickered and Liam blushed.

"Shut up, Mason," he growled.

"Calm down, puppy," Theo said from the door, a stack of pizzas in his arm. The smell wafted towards them and Theo smirked as their bellies all rumbled simultaneously.

He placed the pizzas down on the table, grabbing a slice and leaning against the wall. Liam opened up all of them boxes, arranging them for easy access and they all crowded around, stuffing their faces.

Once the food had been demolished, they all sat back with happy sighs. Liam looked around the table, smelling content. "I guess this is what it's gonna be like from now on."

"What do you mean?" Mason asked curiously.

"The pack," Liam shrugged. "It's just us now. Everyone else left."

Brett looked around. Obviously there were a few missing. Lori wasn't here, and some of the adults were still around; Parrish and the Sheriff being the most obvious, but Liam was right. The six of them were essentially it now.

Theo poured out soda into plastic cups and handed them around. He held up his cup, looking at Liam fondly. "To the puppy pack."

"You know I hate that," Liam pouted.

"Yes baby alpha," Theo smirked.

Liam scowled at him, but he drank. They all did. And the soda was a little flat, and the room was sparse and a little cold, but Brett could feel his connection to everyone in the room, and that was what mattered. This was his pack now, and he'd defend it to the death.


	34. Chapter 34

_It was peaceful. It wasn't something that Theo was particularly familiar with. His life had never been peaceful, even before the Dread Doctors had taken him. With his severe asthma and weak heart, he'd been in and out of hospital fairly regularly, more familiar than he should be with his mother's worried face._

 _He was floating in darkness. There were no monsters trying to get him, no Tara clawing at his heart, no fear or anxiety. Just… peace._

 _And he didn't trust it for a second._

 _Theo moved forward, senses straining in every direction, trying to find an end to the darkness, for what was real, his mind stretching further and further, until finally, he was somewhere._

 _Looking around, Theo frowned. He seemed to be in a series of underground tunnels, but they were nothing like the tunnels he had grown up in. These were old, very old, covered in cobwebs, bones and blood and reeking of fear. Theo was very sure he'd never been here before._

 _A roar in the distance made Theo lurch forwards, following the sounds of fighting, his heart beating frantically. He knew that roar, knew who it belonged to, and the thought of Liam facing any danger without him was more than he could bear._

 _He burst into a large room, finding Liam dodging bullets, arrows and a single sword, the same that occasionally haunted Theo's nightmares. He stared for a moment, confused, eventually realising that this must be a dream. Liam's dream._

 _And seeing the sword here, chasing Liam around the room, made him feel sick to his stomach. He'd never considered that Kira's sword might affect Liam just as strongly as it did him._

 _A groan of pain made Theo refocus on Liam, who had been hit by one of the bullets flying through the air, and now there was blood leaking through his shirt. Theo growled, running forward and catching Liam before he could fall to the ground. Liam's eyes were wide and afraid as he looked up at him._

 _"No," he cried out. "Theo, run!"_

 _And then the dream changed, and they were running through the preserve, heartbeats and red lasers chasing them through the trees, the yells and jeers of the hunters chasing them making their hearts pound as they ran as fast as they could. Theo did his best to stay between the hunters and Liam, adrenaline pumping through every limb, his wolf close to the surface as he witnessed the horror of Liam's nightmares._

 _Liam tripped, falling to the floor and Theo staggered to a halt, going back to help him up._

 _"No, no, no," Liam groaned, weakly pushing him away. "Save yourself, Theo. Don't let them get you."_

 _"Liam," Theo said gently, bending down beside him._

 _"Watch out!" Liam cried, pulling him to the side, and then they were rolling in the hospital, staring up at Gabe as he pointed a gun at them._

 _Theo closed his eyes. He didn't want to see Gabe again, didn't want to see his eyes as the light left them. The first time had been painful enough._

 _This time, Liam ran towards Gabe, roaring his defiance, but the dream shifted once more, and then Liam was fighting Scott in the library, claws and fangs extended, his rage making him look almost unrecognisable. Theo's guilt kept him frozen as he watched Liam jump over a table, tackling Scott to the ground._

 _"Liam, wait!" Theo called, tears streaming down his face. "Stop!"_

 _But Scott was looming up over Liam now, except it wasn't Scott anymore, and they weren't in the library. They were back in the first room, and the monster was covered in bones, vaguely human shaped but different, far more powerful. Liam grunted as he ducked a swing from the creature, and his fear was so strong that Theo could almost see it swirling around him._

 _"Liam, what is that thing?" Theo called out as Liam dodged again, panting as he tried to scramble away._

 _"Berserker," Liam gasped. "Run!"_

 _Slowly, Theo got to his feet, moving closer, placing himself between Liam and the Berserker, eyes narrowed._

 _"What are you doing?" Liam cried, whirling him around. "Why do you always save me?"_

 _And they were in the elevator, Liam staring at him, eyes swimming with tears. Theo stepped closer, cupping his face._

 _"I'll always be there to save you," he said quietly._

 _Theo's voice echoed around them, from long ago. "Being the bait, being the bait, being the bait."_

 _Liam looked down, swiping at his eyes but unable to stop his sniffles._

 _"You'll leave me," Liam said in a small voice._

 _"Never," Theo said fiercely, pulling him into a crushing hug. "I'm never leaving."_

 _"You left before," Liam sighed, and they were in the tunnels, the hole between them. Theo looked down at it, heart in his throat, fear filling him. It cost him everything to look away, to look up at Liam._

 _"I didn't want to," he whispered. Theo shuddered as his screams filled the air, begging Scott to help him._

 _"Stop," he begged. "Liam please stop, please wake up."_

 _He woke with a start, Liam crying into his neck, and tightened his hold on him, his own tears falling down his cheeks. It was worse than any of his own dreams, worse because it was Liam's pain, worse because he couldn't take it away, had even caused some of it. It tore him up inside that even a single drop of that fear was because of him._

 _"I'm sorry," he cried into Liam's hair. "Liam, I'm so sorry."_

It took a long time for Liam to stop crying. He wiped at his eyes, feeling stupid. Their first night on their own, their first time, and he'd ruined it by crying like a baby. And from a dream, of all things, a nightmare.

Theo probably thought he was childish, and dumb.

He averted his gaze as he moved away, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at his hands, at the red string that shackled Theo to him.

Liam could feel Theo's eyes on his back, could feel his concern through the string.

"I'm scared." he whispered, part of him hoping that it was soft enough that even Theo's werewolf hearing would miss it.

"Hey," Theo said gently. "Liam, it's okay to be scared sometimes."

"It's not just sometimes," he replied after a long pause. "I'm always scared."

Theo shifted closer, placing a hand on his back. It was warm and Liam shivered at how deeply a simple touch affected him.

"Me too," Theo admitted.

"You're not afraid of anything," Liam said. "You're so sure of yourself, so brave."

"No, I'm not," Theo objected. "I'm terrified, all the time, so scared that something will happen to you and I won't be able to help. It was agony, watching you fight, seeing how affected you were by all those things."

Liam turned slowly, looking back at Theo, seeing the truth in his eyes and the steady beat of his heart. "You mean that," he observed, voice dull. He still felt wrung out, empty. It was similar to how he felt after one of his episodes, when all of his rage burned out and left a shell of himself behind.

"Yes," Theo said, scooting closer again, sitting up and cuddling into Liam's back, pulling him back against his chest. Liam leaned against him, feeling some of the tension seep from his body as Theo's arms wrapped around him. "I just want you to be safe," Theo whispered, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Nothing else matters."

"Not even your own safety?" Liam asked, feeling frustration start to well up in his chest. Theo hesitated, and Liam took a deep shuddering breath, trying to stay calm. "Can't you see that I feel the same way? That I want you to be safe as well?"

"I guess," Theo admitted quietly. "I didn't think of it that way."

"No more heroics," Liam begged. "No more being the bait. We're equal in this, or I don't want to do it at all. I can't watch you put yourself in harms way for me, just like you couldn't stand it if I did the same."

Theo was quiet for awhile, his breath hot on Liam's neck as he thought. "Okay," he relented eventually, reluctantly. "Partners then."

"Good," Liam sighed, relief flooding him. "Partners."

"Although," Theo said a second later. "I think most people use the term boyfriends."

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, okay. Boyfriends then."

"Good," Theo parroted. Liam smiled, turning to look at him, Theo's hands sliding down to rest at his hips. Liam's eyes drifted down.

"You know," Liam said, smile sly, looking back up at Theo. "We don't have anywhere to be today."

Theo blinked at him, catching on quickly, licking his lips. "Good point," Theo agreed.

A morning in bed was exactly what Liam needed to chase away the last lingering threads of his nightmare, losing himself in Theo's touch.

Going back to school Monday morning felt weird. The loft was further away that Melissa's house, so it took a lot longer, and the anxiety stirring in Liam's gut grew stronger the closer they got. Theo stopped him before he could climb out of his truck, a look of concern on his face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know," Liam sighed. "I just hate being here."

It was hard to put into words. At school, everyone watched him. No one said anything about him being a werewolf, but he could hear their whispers and feel their eyes. At least Nolan's control was better now, but it still worried him a little that someone might rile him up enough to make him lash out. The students were scared enough of them as is, their fear following him everywhere he went, a thick stench that gave Liam a constant headache.

Another thing that didn't help was the amount of new teachers. Naturally, he was suspicious of each and every one of them. So many had turned out to be evil, or at the very least negligent, and he had been hassling Principal Martin constantly about the background checks she'd done on them.

Last week she'd kicked Liam out of her office, informing him firmly that each and every teacher had been checked out by Deputy Parrish, thoroughly, and that they were all human, and to hurry up and get to class unless he wanted to be stuck in detention for a month.

It hadn't really done anything to allay his fears. Human didn't mean good. Human didn't mean trustworthy. Monroe had been human. The other students were, for the most part, human. And some of them had done terrible things.

"It'll be fine," Theo said, bringing him out of his thoughts. "And if it isn't, I'll be there in a heartbeat, okay?"

Liam nodded, giving Theo a tight smile. "I know," he whispered.

"Do you have practice after school today?" Theo asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I can get someone else to drive me home if you're busy."

"Nah, I'll wait for you," Theo smiled. "Just send me a text."

"Alright," Liam smiled. He leaned over and kissed Theo, still a little thrilled that he was allowed to do this, to just kiss him whenever he wanted. Theo melted into it, kissing him back. He looked a little dazed when Liam finally pulled away a few minutes later. "See you later," Liam said. Theo nodded and Liam slipped out of the truck, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking into school.

The feeling of foreboding stayed with him all day, and yet nothing noteworthy happened. His classes were fine, no students were overtly rude, and all of his friends were fine. And yet, Liam couldn't shake his paranoia. Things were going well, and things never stayed peaceful for long in Beacon Hills. Also hanging over him was the fact that Scott, Stiles, Lydia and Malia had all left, along with Derek and Argent. That was a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, and Liam didn't know if he could handle the pressure.

Some of Scott's friends had died, and he was a true alpha. What hope did Liam have?

With a sigh, Liam walked into the locker room and started getting changed for practice.

The lacrosse team looked vastly different. There was no Scott or Stiles, of course, and a few others had graduated as well. Gabe's death was another glaring hole, and with the death of Aaron, there weren't many freshers lining up to fill the gaps. Still, they had Brett now, which was a huge bonus, and Corey's anger had helped to hone his skills a little bit as he spent more and more time running and working out to try and deal with that anger and helplessness.

Liam was a lot more confident now too, a lot more in control than he was last year. Having Theo helped a lot, keeping him anchored and sane.

But it was Nolan who'd changed the most, and it wasn't until he was running out on the pitch that Liam noticed just how much.

Corey stood next to him, staring at the blond boy. "Did Nolan get taller?" He asked, looking uncertain.

"Taller, bigger, stronger," Liam said, eyes wide as he watched Nolan streak down the pitch and fling the ball into the net.

Coach moved to stand alongside them as well. "Is Holloway on steroids?" He demanded. "Or is he?" He made a vague hand gesture towards the two of them.

Liam looked at him, confused. "Huh?"

"You know," Finstock scowled, "all grr!"

"Oh," Liam said, shifting uncomfortably, "Uh, yes, actually."

They all turned, watching as Brett high-fived Nolan, both of them grinning smugly.

"And the tall one?" Coach asked.

"You know who he is," Liam pointed out. "You used to scream at me for half an hour before each game against Devenford that I had to crush him."

"Fine," Coach ground out. "Talbot?"

"Yep," Corey said.

Coach nodded, glancing between them and across the team, like he was doing a mental tally. Finally, he nodded again, an evil grin growing on his face. "Excellent," he breathed.

He slapped the two of them on the back and strode onto the pitch, blowing his whistle and screaming instructions. Corey and Liam looked at each other.

"I worry about him sometimes," Corey murmured.

"You and me both," Liam agreed, both of them jogging to join the rest of the team.

Training was long and difficult, and Liam's legs felt like jelly by the time it was over. With his supernatural strength and healing, he wasn't the worst off by far. He was pretty sure that at least two or three other students had run to the edge of the pitch to throw up, but Coach hadn't cared. He seemed to think that puke built character.

Liam, Nolan and Brett were the last ones to leave. Mostly because Coach had berated them the longest, stating that the best players needed to bring the rest of the team up, especially the captains. Liam had nodded along in the appropriate spots, weary to the bone. He just wanted to shower, go home with Theo and collapse into bed.

"Dismissed," Coach sniffed eventually, storming off. Liam sighed, dragging his feet to the locker room.

All three of them showered quickly, Liam ignoring the way Brett and Nolan were making eyes at each other as he dried off and dressed, stuffing his dirty clothes into his lacrosse bag.

"Hurry up," Liam groaned as Brett whipped at Nolan with his towel, both of them giggling. "I have to lock up, and I'm not leaving you two in here."

"Alright, alright," Brett sighed, glaring at him as Nolan dodged around him and walked over to his bag, dressing quickly. Liam rolled his eyes at him, leaning in the doorway as the two of them pulled on clean clothes.

Finally, they were both dressed and Liam could lock the door behind them, the three of them walking out to the car park where Theo was waiting. There were still quite a few cars, and they paused as Principal Martin walked through the doors, a man at her side, the two of them talking quietly.

Liam frowned, staring at him, mind racing.

"Who's that?" Brett asked curiously, glancing down at Nolan.

"New Spanish teacher," Nolan muttered as the two of them approached.

Liam's eyes widened as Principal Martin stopped in front of them, her eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at Liam.

"Boys," she said. "Just finished practice?"

"Yes ma'am," Nolan said quietly, squaring his shoulders and looking back at her as she looked at him, a stern expression on her face.

"Have you met Senor Calavera yet?" She asked, introducing the man beside her.

But she didn't need to. Liam recognised him. He was a hunter, one of the hunters from Mexico, the ones who had threatened Scott.

And from the calculating look in his eyes, it was clear that he recognised Liam as well.

Shit.


	35. Chapter 35

_For a long time now, Peter had been itchy._

 _For a long time before the fire, there was the itch of something he was forgetting. Like he had a string tied around his finger and no way to collect on the memory, Peter felt restless in his skin._

 _Then came the itch of insanity while he was locked inside his own head after the fire. He prayed, day after day for retribution for those that had wronged his family. He whispered to the wind all the things he would do if only he could get out of this bed._

 _After that, the short lived itch of Alpha power. Of feeling himself grow stronger as his betas got closer. The sight of Derek and Scott leaning on each other. His nephew teaching his new beta all the things he couldn't, until it was all too much and he was put to death._

 _And then for longest time the itch of being an Omega. Being on the fringe of a fledgling pack. Offering hints and clues despite himself while his body screamed for acceptance. Seeing his nephew give everything for his sister and realising just what he had done in his insanity; the wrongs he had committed against his own flesh and blood and then risking everything for his sister's children. For the familial blood of two of his former Alphas._

 _And, like a mosquito bite in the middle of summer, his itch was scratched for a moment and left him wanting more._

 _Because he had a daughter._

 _And a fresh start._

 _The moment that the file was handed to him, memories started flooding back._

 _He would be a father._

 _Corrine wasn't happy._

 _The warm weight of his own cub._

 _The Desert Wolf's anger._

 _Talia needing to intervene._

 _And then nothing._

 _Until Malia._

 _There was so much of his family in the girl it took his breath away. His sister's eyes, his mother's nose and everytime she told him where to go, it was like looking in a mirror._

 _At first he tried throwing money at the situation. Sending lavish gifts as excuses to get close to her. But in the end, all it took was showing he cared; sacrificing himself for her in the face of the anuk-ite. On holiday she was suddenly willing to talk. To hear out his memories of how she came into the world and what his family was like before hunters ruined everything._

 _It was a surprise when she suggested going to South America to visit Cora._

 _And like the first time he held her newborn body in his hands and looked into her eyes, so much like Talias, he knew that he would draw his final, final (final) breath before he told her no._

Liam sat on the couch, trying his best to ignore the sly looks Brett was directing between him and Theo and the rumpled bed only a few metres away. The faint smell of sex still hung in the air from the night before, and Liam was regretting not cracking open a window or something before leaving for school that morning.

But they had more important things to worry about. There was a hunter in Beacon Hills, in their school even, one that had captured Scott and Stiles and Malia and Lydia, torturing Scott until he gave them the information they needed about Kate.

These weren't the sort of hunters to pull punches. They followed the code, as far as Liam knew, but if they decided that anyone in the pack had breached that code, well, they would despatch all of them with cold and dispassionate efficiency. The thought of the boss Calavera lady being anywhere near his friends and family gave him chills, especially Theo.

He'd only just got Theo, only just started to convince him that his life was worth something. The thought of possibly losing him already was a cruel joke.

"So he's a bad guy?" Nolan asked quietly, chewing his lip.

"Not necessarily," Liam sighed. "These hunters follow the code, unlike Monroe and Gerard."

The unlike you went unspoken, but from the way Nolan flinched into Brett's side, it was clear that it had been communicated.

"So what does he want?" Theo asked. He was hovering over by the window, his back to them as he stared outside, alert for any threats. Liam stared at him, feeling worried. The haunted look had already returned to Theo's eyes. He would have to make a trip to Melissa's to retrieve the dreamcatcher. He doubted Theo would be getting a decent sleep anytime soon without it.

"I have no idea," Liam admitted. "I could call Scott."

"Really?" Brett drawled. "He's been gone for what? A few weeks? And you're gonna call him with your first emergency?"

Liam scowled at him. He was surprised that he'd forgotten how much of an asshole Brett could be. But from the dark look he was giving Liam, and the arm he had wrapped around Nolan's shoulders, it was pretty clear why.

"Alright, cool it," Corey said. "He hasn't even done anything yet. Hasn't so much as said a word to any of us."

"That's true," Liam sighed. "But he's dangerous. And him being here can't possibly be good."

"What did they do last time?" Theo asked.

"They were hunting Kate," Liam explained. Another flinch from Nolan, a deeper scowl from Brett. "She took Scott, and Kira. That's why we were in Mexico in the first place."

"That was around the time you started having nightmares," Mason said quietly, looking at Liam with too much compassion in his eyes. "You never told me about it, but you had them for months. You were so wigged out. It was before I knew anything about the supernatural. I was with Lydia at the high school, and there was one of those things there. The big bone men."

"Berserker," Liam whispered hoarsely.

Theo's head whipped towards him. "This guy has something to do with those Berserker things?" He asked urgently.

Liam nodded. "Kate controlled them. She turned Scott into one, but I managed to get through to him before he could do any damage, but-" He shuddered. The smell of decay and death and fear was still just as clear now as it had been back then. "Anyway, they were hunting her, and she had Scott, so we went to go get him back."

"Liam," Mason said quietly. "It's okay."

"I'm fine," Liam said, giving him a tight-lipped smile. "We have to figure out what they want, why they're here."

"What else can you remember? Did anything else happen that night?" Mason asked.

"So much happened," Liam said helplessly. "Scott and Peter fought over Scott's alpha powers. Derek died and became a wolf. Argent went after Kate, although we learned later that she didn't die of course."

"There must be a connection," Mason frowned. "Peter, Derek, and Kate. The Calaveras. What are we missing?"

"How did Derek become a wolf?" Theo asked curiously.

"I don't know," Liam shrugged. "Kate did something to him. He came back really young, like a teenager. And then there was the robbery and the whole deadpool thing."

Theo frowned at him. "I keep forgetting how eventful Beacon Hills was before I came."

There was a troubled look on his face. Liam sighed. He was probably sulking over how much danger Liam had been in without Theo there to protect him. Not that he'd wanted to protect him back then. He remembered what Theo had said. He'd wanted 'the beta with the anger issues.'

"So, what should we do?" Liam asked the group, looking to each of them.

Mason and Corey were cuddled together on the couch, fingers interlocked. Mason just shrugged. Corey shook his head. Nolan had his face buried in Brett's neck, and Brett was smoothing a hand down his back, looking angry. Finally, he looked to Theo, who was watching him again.

"I guess there isn't much we can do," Theo admitted. "Just keep an eye on him and hope we can stop anything bad from happening."

"Great," Liam sighed.

Mason and Corey left immediately, and Brett stood up as well, pulling Nolan into his side. He waited until he heard the elevator moving before he gave Liam and Theo a cold nod, leading Nolan out of their apartment.

They stood in front of the elevator doors, Nolan wrapped firmly in his arms.

"Ignore him," Brett said into his hair, the anger still simmering in his chest. He could smell the salt of Nolan's tears.

"It was my fault. I was weak," Nolan said quietly, pulling away from him.

"Weak?" Brett asked, tilting his head. "What do you mean?"

"Too weak to say no, too weak to go through with any of it," Nolan muttered, averting his gaze, shame making his cheeks flush.

"Too weak to hurt someone? To kill them? That's not weakness, Nolan, that's compassion. And there isn't enough of it in the world," Brett pointed out.

"People died, Brett, people that could have lived if I'd had the guts to do something about it," Nolan objected. There was an ugly look on his face. Self-loathing, Brett realised.

He cupped Nolan's face in his hands. "Nolan Holloway, you were sixteen years old, and you were scared and you had adults that should have been trustworthy manipulating you. Despite all that, you are standing here in front of me. You survived, okay?" Brett said gently. "You were a victim, and you survived."

Nolan's face crumpled, tears flooding down his cheeks and Brett pulled him tight against his chest, kissing the top of his head.

"They're never going to accept me," Nolan said dully, voice muffled by Brett's chest. "Not really. If I hadn't been bitten by Kate I wouldn't even be here. That's the only reason they're tolerating me."

"They're just morons," Brett said firmly, "and they don't know you. I do. And I'm not going anywhere Nolan. You'll always have me."

"Yeah?" Nolan asked, his voice hoarse.

Brett pulled away, swiping his tears from his freckled cheeks, affection searing through him.

"Yeah," he said softly, leaning down to kiss him.

The next morning, Nolan woke to Lori poking him in the cheek. "Holloway," she hissed. "Wake up."

"Piss off," Brett grumbled, swatting her hand away, glaring at her irritably from the golden cloud that was Nolan's hair.

"I don't want you," she said, flashing her eyes at him. "I want Nolan."

Brett growled, pulling Nolan in tighter to his chest. "Well you can't have him."

She glared at him. "Brett Talbot, you will release Nolan or I will bite you."

"No," Brett said, smirking at her and nuzzling the back of Nolan's neck.

Nolan sighed, unable to pretend sleep any longer, opening his eyes. "Hey Lori, what's up?"

"Nooo," Brett mumbled, pressing soft kisses against his skin. "She's not here."

"Brett," Nolan scolded. He rubbed at his eyes, and Lori smirked as he slowly sat up, shrugging off Brett's hold. Behind him, Brett pouted.

"I need your help today," Lori told him.

"Oh, but we have school?" Nolan said, looking confused.

"Not today," she said cheerfully. "This is way more important."

"Lori," Brett warned, catching on.

"No," she said, wagging a finger at him. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?"

"Without Nolan?" He whined.

"Yes," she smirked. "He's gonna help me plan."

"Plan what?" Nolan asked curiously, looking between them. Lori said nothing, still smirking at Brett.

"My birthday," Brett grumbled.

"Oh, is it soon?" Nolan asked, whirling to stare at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's next weekend," Lori said, her eyes twinkling with mirth as Nolan hit Brett's arm.

"You weren't going to tell me, were you?" He accused.

"He's gonna be 18," Lori pointed out.

Nolan's scowl turned into a glare, and Brett quailed. Lori bit the inside of her cheek, holding back her laughter.

"18," Nolan hissed. "Jesus, Brett."

"Okay," Brett said, throwing his hands up. "I'm sorry."

Nolan got up, pulling on a pair of sweats and one of Brett's shirts. It was comically long on him. He turned to look at Lori, fierce determination burning in his gaze. "Let's go," he said.

"Do I not get a kiss?" Brett called after them.

"Nope," Nolan called back as he followed Lori through the house.

Brett's dejected sigh made Lori giggle.

Mason sat nervously in the waiting room at the Animal Clinic, his hands tangled together. On their way home from the pack meeting they had received a phone call from Deaton, informing them that he might finally have some answers.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Deaton said in his usual deep, mysterious tone, ushering them into the back. Corey stood, taking Mason's hand and intertwining their fingers. He gave Mason a reassuring smile as he slowly stood up and lead the way into the examination room.

"What did you find?" Mason asked, looking from Deaton to the huge book lying open on the gurney in the middle of the room.

"It took a lot of extensive research and checking sources, but I believe that I have narrowed it down," Deaton said, turning the book around so that they could look at the page it was opened to. "It's called a Satori, long thought to be a myth." He gave a wry smile. They were all myths, really.

"What is it?" Corey asked.

"It's hard to say," Deaton shrugged. "Descriptions vary. Some refer to a large ape-like creature with blue fur, while others lean more towards a scaly, demonic creature. It's been so long since one has been seen that I would not conclusively be able to tell you."

"But somehow the Dread Doctors found one," Corey pointed out.

"Not necessarily," Deaton said. "In order to splice some of the Satori's DNA, all they would have needed is a sample. A tooth or claw, perhaps."

"Why would they want this creature?" Mason asked. "What's special about it?"

"Ah, well that's where it gets interesting," Deaton smiled. "This was common across all of the sources I found. They all agree that the Satori is famed for the ability to read minds."

Mason blinked, letting the information sink in. "But I can't read minds."

"Perhaps," Deaton said. "But the creature inside of you can. For some reason, it has been suppressing itself. I suspect because of where we live. The Nemeton would scream to a creature that sensitive."

"I guess that explains the seeing dead bodies thing," Mason said once they were back in the car, fingers tapping on the steering wheel as he stared blankly out the front window.

"Yeah," Corey agreed. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," Mason frowned, glancing at him. "At least I have some idea of what I am now. That's something."

"We can research and find out more," Corey reassured him.

Mason smiled at him, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I know."

"Could always be worse," Corey continued as Mason started up the car.

"How so?" Mason asked.

"The Beast could have combined with that thing," Corey said quietly.

A mind-reading serial-killer uber-werewolf. Now that was a chilling thought.


	36. Chapter 36

_Peter hadn't known how badly he wanted to be a father until the option was taken away._

 _But now, with every beat of his long lost heart, he felt it swell with love and adoration for his long lost daughter._

 _Perhaps the most alarming thing was that from the moment they pulled away from Beacon Hills, a sense of calm rested over them, the supernatural sides of their brains so content to bask in their reunion._

 _The drive south was smooth. Malia allowing him to turn down the music and ramble about the days before the fire. She nodded quietly as he explained about their family; the house he was raised in. She smiled warmly when he described his father; the stoic Alpha, taken before his time. Her smile growing as he reminised his sister's rise to power; stepping into their father's shoes and becoming a mother to their pack and to a baby girl in the same week. She giggled when he spoke fondly about his nieces and nephew, of the close bond he shared with the latter._

 _Her giggles turned to a laugh as he rambled about Derek as an awkward teen, head over heels and desperate to do anything to be with Paige for life. A disappointed noise slipping past her lips as he told of Paige's demise._

 _Her brow furrowed when he talked about the Desert Wolf; about their connection; about how their love had burned bright, consuming all around them until it had all erupted at a pack meeting and Corrine had announced that she would not be continuing with the pregnancy. Peter didn't pretend not to notice the release of her shoulders as he told her how he wanted her. How he had prepared a nursery only to have that dream ripped from him as easy as the death threats that spewed from the Coyote's mouth._

 _What they didn't speak about, as they crossed the Mexican border, was that the Desert Wolf was now a permanent resident of the closed ward of Eichen House, stripped of all of her powers but now twice as angry as ever. Instead, Malia filled him in on everything she could remember before the accident of her life with her adopted parents. Peter was happy to listen as she rambled on about life after returning to human and how Stiles had helped her and how there was no real hard feelings about how both of her relationships had ended. That one day she was going to find someone who looked at her the way that Stiles looked at her cousin and Scott looked at Isaac._

 _It was when they were deep into Mexico and feeling relaxed and content with the relationship they were building when they got the text message._

 _000_

 _Like three little moons or the emergency number for Australia._

 _Cora was in trouble._

Derek leaned on the counter in Stiles' tiny apartment, phone pressed to his ear as he watched Stiles move restlessly around the kitchen.

"You're sure?" Derek asked.

Stiles quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly, but Derek shook his head.

"Very sure," Argent replied. "It's coming from several different sources, all very reliable, people I would trust with my life, and I'm sure you know how rare those are."

"Okay, so what's the next step?" Derek asked. "We go after her?"

"Her?" Stiles asked, snuggling under Derek's arm and doing his best to get inside the purple woolen jumper he was wearing. "He found a lead on Monroe?"

Derek held up a hand, pushing on Stiles head to hold back the barrage of questions he could sense coming and the younger man from stretching out his favourite sweater while listening intently to what Argent had to say.

"Alright, see you soon," Derek agreed, hanging up the phone.

"So?" Stiles demanded, trying again to join Derek in the warmth of his jumper, surely they could share thumb holes and it would be completely practical.

"We have a lead," Derek explained holding Stiles tightly in his arms to restrain him. "Argent is coming to collect me in half an hour and we're gonna go check it out."

"What about me?" Stiles pouted giving up his struggle in favour of focusing his puppy dog eyes.

"You're going with McCall," Derek said, giving him an exasperated look. "You're helping him with the investigation, remember? It's the only way to keep you in the program. You have to follow the official lines."

"While you get to go play bad cop with Argent," Stiles complained, crossing his arms and levelling Derek with a scowl. Derek just shook his head, smiling at him.

"You'll be fine without me for a bit," he said softly, cutting right to what he knew was the heart of the issue. "Will it make you feel better if I leave this jumper here?"

"Of course I will, and yes please." Stiles snapped, pulling at the purple wool. "I'm a strong independent man."

"That you are," Derek agreed, moving closer.

"I know what you're doing," Stiles pointed out archly.

"Agreeing that you're a big strong sexy man?" Derek asked, smile widening as he reached for Stiles.

"You just want to kiss me so that I forget what we were arguing about," Stiles growled.

"Arguing?" Derek asked, biting his lip, looking at Stiles through his lashes. "Were we arguing?"

"Yes," Stiles insisted weakly, eyes dropping to Derek's lips.

"How horrible of me," Derek purred. "I should make it up to you."

"Well," Stiles said, mollified. "You definitely should."

"And we have half an hour," Derek reminded him, hands settling on his hips, pulling him flush against body.

"Yes," Stiles whispered as Derek dipped down to kiss him.

And if Argent had to wait a little longer, and Derek's shirt was untucked and hair messy, completely unable to hide the silly grin on his face, well, Argent didn't say anything about it, and they were on their way, so what was the harm?

"Eighteen huh?" Nolan asked Brett when he met him in the parking lot after school.

"Hello to you too," Brett rolled his eyes, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to his cheek. It had been lonely at school without Nolan, and he hoped that his boyfriend's ire had passed over the day, because all he wanted to do was to go home and have at least 57 million cuddles with him.

"I'm curious," Nolan said, accepting the kiss with an aggrieved air. "I mean, eighteen is a big deal I guess, but Lori seems to be pulling all the stops."

"Yeah," Brett said, smiling faintly. He pulled Nolan close, hiding his face in his neck and sighing in relief as Nolan cuddled into him. "It's because I can apply for Lori's legal guardianship now. We can't be separated if something goes wrong. With Satomi gone, it was always a risk."

"Oh," Nolan said quietly, wrapping his arms more firmly around him. "That makes sense."

Brett held him tight, the tension leaving his body as he breathed in his boyfriend's scent, his wolf calming immediately. "I missed you today," he whispered into Nolan's hair.

"Me too," Nolan admitted. "Was school okay?"

"Nothing worth mentioning," Brett shrugged. "Just long and boring and lonely."

"Aww, you poor thing," Nolan teased, pulling back to look at him, eyes twinkling.

"Yes," Brett agreed. "Poor me. You must now cuddle me for at least an hour to make it up to me."

"Right," Nolan said sceptically.

"It's the rule," Brett assured him.

"Come on you sook," Nolan laughed, grabbing his hand and leading him over to the car. "Let's go home."

Liam unlocked the door to the loft, letting himself in. He'd had lacrosse practice so Theo had gone home straight after school to catch up on his assignments. Mason and Corey had dropped him off.

I should go get my car, Liam thought idly as he placed his keys in the bowl by the front door.

"Theo?" He called, dropping his bag onto the floor and stepping into the room. He'd expected to see him with his laptop on the table.

"Here," Theo called. His voice sounded weird, and Liam frowned as he walked over to the kitchen, ducking his head inside.

"Hey, what's- oh," Liam trailed off. "Lydia, what are you doing here?"

There, standing in front of the oven was Lydia, stirring something in a pot with a wooden spoon. It smelt amazing, and Liam took a deep breath, letting the strong scent of garlic and tomatoes wash over him. It was almost enough to distract him from observing her movements, which were automatic, almost robotic.

"She won't answer you," Theo said. He was leaning against the bench, watching her with a concerned expression on his face. "I've been trying since I got home."

"That was hours ago," Liam said in a hushed voice, moving over to him and brushing a hand over his arm. Theo relaxed, some of the tension leaving his body. He was getting more used to accepting Liam's touch now, melting into it rather than stiffening up.

"Yeah," Theo sighed. "I don't want to hurt her. I thought about calling Deaton."

"Might be a good idea," Liam agreed, pulling out his phone.

He dialled Deaton's number and he picked up after a few rings. Liam explained what had happened quickly. Deaton assured him that he would be there as soon as he could close up the clinic.

"Do we leave her in here?" Theo asked, looking from Lydia to the pot.

"What if we turn the stove off?" Liam suggested, moving closer to the banshee, looking down at the pot over her shoulder, wary for any sudden movements.

"You can try," Theo agreed dubiously, watching as Liam reached around Lydia to turn off the oven.

Lydia turned her head, glaring at him, although her eyes were still vacant. Slowly, Liam pulled his hand away, leaving the oven on and Lydia returned to staring at the wall.

"Creepy," Liam shuddered.

"That's nothing," Theo said. "You should see how much food is in our fridge. She must have been here all day."

Liam pulled the fridge open, mouth dropping open at the vast amount of plastic containers that filled the fridge with meal after meal.

"How are we supposed to eat all that?" Liam asked incredulously. "Where did she even get all of this food from? Did she buy it?"

"Must have," Theo shrugged.

Liam shook his head, perplexed. Why would Lydia drive all the way here from her college just to cook enough food to feed a small army? Especially when she was in a trance? It didn't make any sense.

He wandered back into the main room, dropping onto the couch and resting his head in his hands. Theo followed him, cautiously sitting beside him, his shoulder brushing against Liam's.

"This is too stressful," Liam complained. "I hate being the leader."

"You're doing fine," Theo soothed him. "We'll figure it out."

"I guess," Liam sighed, leaning down to rest his head on Theo's shoulder as they waited for Deaton.

When Deaton arrived, he wasn't alone. Hot on the heels of the good doctor was Parrish, who made a beeline directly for the banshee now boxing up the soup she had made.

Like sleeping beauty being woken from her trance, all it took was a soft word and a gentle touch from the hellhound and Lydia was blinking around the kitchen at them.

"Oh." She said softly, looking up Parrish. "I finally made it to Beacon Hills this time."

And then she collapsed.

"What do you think she meant?" Liam asked a while later. Lydia had been moved to their couch and after a quick check from the vet, Parrish had moved in to fawn over her.

"With this one, who even knows?" The hellhound murmured, adjusting the cool face washer he had placed on her forehead.

"Would we also like to talk about how you turned up without being called, Deputy?" Deaton asked, looking through his bag and pulling out a small pouch.

"I've never pretended to understand any of this." Parrish said, eyes focusing on the girl in front of him as the vet moved closer, pulling out a pinch of whatever was in the bag and holding it under Lydia's nose. Her next breath had her sneezing and awake, and practically scrambling into Parrish's arms.

"Lydia, what brought you back to Beacon Hills?" Deaton asked, his voice level and calm.

"I dont know." Lydia sniffed, pulling her face away from Parrish's neck. "I keep waking up on the highway here, I don't know what is drawing me back." Her eyes filled with tears as she clung tighter to the hellhound.

"Lydia, have you seen something?" Deaton asked, a worried look on his face. "Have you had a vision? Is something evil coming?"

"No." Lydia whispered, blinking away her tears and steeling herself. "Evil is already here."


	37. Chapter 37

_The apartment Cora had been staying in looked as though a bomb had hit it and the scent trail was just about cold, signalling it had been days since she had been taken._

 _Peter and Malia worked their way around wordlessly, picking at everything to see what they could come up with._

 _Malia wouldn't lie, the raise in her father's heartbeat as their search continued to come up with nothing was sending her own heart into a flurry._

 _The scent of her cousin was familiar in the way Derek's was before she'd known they were related and Malia could tell it would have been comforting to be in her home if the stench of fear wasn't saturating every surface. Items carefully chosen littered the floor and Malia did her best to rescue what she could, finding a box in the closet to load the salvageable knick-knacks in._

 _"If I was going to hide a clue- where would I hide it?" Malia wondered, as she toed through the mess that was once Cora's bookshelves, mouthing the titles of a whole volume of books about Mexican folklore as she stacked them back onto the shelves._

 _"Maybe Cora was trying to work out what Kate did to Derek to evolve him?" She wondered, holding out a book on La Iglesia to Peter._

 _Peter took a long moment looking at the book, thinking about all he knew when it came to his nephews metamorphosis. Kate had kept the specifics close to her chest during their short alliance, and other than the location..._

 _"Or what if someone else was trying to work it out?" Peter muttered, leaping up and grabbing his keys, suddenly so sure that there would be more evidence of his niece in the church rather than her trashed apartment._

 _"How far is La Iglesia from here?" Malia called as she followed him down the stairs, hot on his heels._

 _"About two hours." Peter said, throwing the keys over his shoulder at Malia, "You drive, I have some calls to make._

 _The evidence of their last battle in the old church was almost masked by the fresh wounds of a more recent one. The air still held the sting of gunpowder and the blood splashed on sand and stone still looked a bright, fresh red._

 _"This looks bad." Malia whispered, following Peter as they warily got out of the car. Peter closed his eyes, sniffing the air and searching for the beacon of Pack amongst the stench of death, decay and magic. "It's also very quiet."_

 _Like a bad movie, a Berserker emerged slowly from the entrance to the church. Its joints creaking and bones clinking as it lurched at them, pulling out a bone dagger from its armour._

 _Peter groaned, shooting a heated glare at his daughter._

 _"You had to say it didn't you." he hissed, rolling his neck as he shifted. "Remember, daughter mine, you fight Berserkers to kill."_

 _Malia followed her father, shifting and roaring as she moved forward to meet the beast in the ruin of the church's yard. This place had seen the death of one Hale, they would give it everything to make sure that it would see no more._

 _Before damage on either side could be done, a wall to the left crumbled, drawing the attention of the Berserker and allowing Peter to get it in a headlock._

 _"Malia! Finish this!" Peter grunted, straining as he fought to hold the beast. "Malia!"_

 _"Hold on." Malia said, her blue eyes drawn to the two figures slowly being revealed by the settling dust. Both appeared slim, one needing to lean heavily on the other but despite the limited vision and all of the dust in the air, a familiar scent continued to draw Malia's attention._

 _Before she could make a decision one way or another, a shard of bone flew from the dust, missing the Berserkers armour and sinking into the monster's eye socket._

 _The creature howled, bringing its hands up to its face as it fell to its knees. Peter took the opportunity to plant his boot into the Berserker's shoulder and grip the mask, growling as he ripped the mask from the thing's head._

 _What was left of the Berserker crumbled to the ground, the magic animating it no longer sustaining it. Malia blinked slowly at the rotting flesh of what was left as Peter regained his balance, throwing the mask to the side and wiping his hands on his pants._

 _"Cora!" Peter yelled, rushing forward to take his niece, still leaning heavily on the stranger._

 _Was it a stranger? Malia thought, a familiar scent relaxing the coyote inside her as she took in this newcomer, currently bending down to take things from the armour of the Berserker._

 _She was little. Little but strong. Dressed in animal furs with bits of silver and bone braided into her long black hair._

 _The woman turned as she stood, and Malia gasped all at once her heart beating fast and her mouth going dry._

 _Because despite the rough, hardened look of a skinwalker, this was definitely not a stranger._

 _It was Kira._

Liam was close to giving up.

He'd been acting alpha for what felt like two minutes and he felt about ready to give up and hide in his bedroom for the rest of his life.

But the acting Alpha can only spend so much time wrapped in a blanket burrito.

Which is why Liam was in his tree house.

He fiddled with his phone, bringing up Scott's contact before closing it, typing out messages on every social media app before deleting them.

And then for a long time he just looked at meme accounts on instagram.

Which is where Theo found him, Lying half on a bean bag and giggling away as he thumbed through a series of posts about dogs.

"Good to see you've come up with a plan for the coming evil." He chuckled, liking the way it sounded when Liam laughed and wishing they had a life where he was free to do it more.

"I'm taking a break." Liam said, switching off his phone and tucking it into his pocket, opening his arms for Theo to snuggle in with him. Theo jumped at the opportunity, pulling himself fully into the treehouse and settling into Liam side, nuzzling into his neck and letting Liam hold him tightly.

"You know, whatever you decide to do, call in the big guns or wait for more information. I'll stand by you."

"I'm just worried I'll fuck it up." Liam said, holding Theo as tight as he dared.

"Hey." Theo muttered against Liam's throat, pressing a kiss to his pulse point. "Follow your gut. You make good choices."

When Liam hummed his non committal, Theo pulled away slightly, his grin wide.

"I mean, you did pull me out of hell after all."

Liam looked down at the string that still connected them, thick and tightly braided, the visual evidence of the growing bond between them. "Yeah," he whispered, smiling softly. Best decision of his life.

A few days had passed with nothing of note happening. The Calavera hunter wasn't doing anything worth being concerned about (unless you counted being a jerk to students, which seemed like more of a Principal Martin problem than a supernatural one) and no other threats had raised their heads either despite Lydia's claim that evil was already here. Numerous patrols had found nothing, zip, nada.

So now they were pretending to be normal teengers, and Theo was bundled up in a jacket and sitting next to Mason in the stands, watching as Liam, Corey, Nolan and Brett warmed up with the rest of the lacrosse team. The awkward silence stretched between them, not helped by the unease and distrust wafting from Mason.

"So," Theo said conversationally when he couldn't take it any more, "cold weather we're having."

Mason levelled a glare at him. "Really? We're going there? The weather?"

Theo shrugged. "What else do you expect me to say?" He asked. "Just start talking about how life is going? We're not exactly friends, Mason."

He narrowed his eyes as Mason scoffed. "And whose fault is that, huh?"

A cleared throat made Theo look up, his eyes searching for and meeting Liam's, who looked annoyed.

"Can you two not do this right now?" He muttered, looking down so that it wasn't obvious he was talking. "We're trying to get pumped up for the game and this isn't helping."

"I'm sorry," Theo said.

"What? Really?" Mason said. Theo shot him an irritated look.

"Not you," he snapped.

"Be nice," Liam growled. "That's my best friend."

"And my boyfriend," Corey pointed out. Theo looked at him, finding him glaring at him. "I could take you Raeken."

"Oi," Liam objected.

"Can all of you shut the fuck up please?" Brett hissed. "For one thing, you all look fucking insane right now."

Liam had the grace to look sheepish. "Right," he muttered. He looked up at Theo, blue eyes entreating him. "Please try and get along," he whispered. "For me?"

Theo sighed. "I'll try." Liam smiled brilliantly at him, blowing him a kiss, and Theo blushed. "Good luck," he whispered.

When he turned to look at Mason, he had a funny look on his face. "Did I miss something?" He asked, looking between Theo and Liam.

"Sorry," Theo said with a grimace. It almost hurt, apologising to Mason, but he wanted to make Liam happy. "Liam was asking me to be nicer to you."

"Oh," Mason said. He swallowed, looking down at his hands. "I guess I could try a bit harder as well."

"That's my boy," he heard Corey say. Theo rolled his eyes at him, and Corey just smirked, turning his back to him.

"What?" Mason asked, following Theo's gaze.

"Corey's proud of you apparently," Theo said, and Mason beamed.

"He's such a sweetheart," he sighed, waving down at his boyfriend, who gave him a wink over his shoulder.

"Sure," Theo agreed. Corey was a nice guy, now that he thought about it. When Theo had brought him back from the dead, he'd been annoyed at how cowardly Corey had been, refusing to get his hands dirty and disappearing for long stretches of time. Now, though, he was happy that Corey had managed to avoid most of the unpleasantness. "He's lucky, I think."

"What makes you say that?" Mason asked curiously.

"When everything was going down, Lydia, Eichen House, me being a psycho," Theo frowned at that, remembering that ugly red hot anger and powerlessness that had burned in his chest, that thirst to prove himself, to survive, eclipsing everything including his conscience, "he had you."

Mason nodded slowly, looking back down at Corey. "I'm the lucky one, really," he said quietly. "He's always tried to protect me, like when I was the Beast." He shuddered then, and Theo felt a sympathetic pang in his chest. "I wouldn't be here without him."

"I knew from the second he saw you that he liked you," Theo said after a minute. "He lit up."

"Did he ever talk about me?" Mason asked curiously.

Theo gave a bitter laugh. "Maybe he would have, if we were friends. I saw him as more of a tool. A means to an end."

Mason's face was troubled as he looked at him. "You know," he said slowly, "I know I act like I hate you, and maybe part of me always will, but even I can appreciate how much you've changed since then. You care now, and you're trying to fix the wrong you did."

Theo bit his lip, dropping his head to hide how deeply his words had affected him. "Yeah?" He asked hoarsely.

"I thought maybe it was an act," Mason admitted, "but then you took Gabe's pain, and I knew it was real. You can't fake that."

He nodded. It hadn't been the first time he'd taken pain, of course, but Mason had been unconscious when he'd taken Liam's. He still remembered how it had felt though, the pain burning through him like fire.

"Also," Mason continued, looking at him seriously, "I never thanked you."

Theo frowned in confusion. "For what?" He asked incredulously.

"Bringing Corey back," he said. "Thank you, Theo."

"I didn't do it for a good reason," Theo pointed out, feeling weary.

"No, I know," Mason said, nodding slowly, "but thank you anyway. And I'm sorry about what you had to endure afterwards."

"Don't be," Theo said. "I deserved it."

"I don't know," Mason admitted with a sigh. "I don't think you did. We've forgiven people who did far worse. We've worked with Gerard. We've worked with Deucalion. Peter is like a snarky uncle now." He shook his head, meeting Theo's eyes. "You deserve to be forgiven too."

He felt tears coming to his eyes and ducked his head, rubbing at them. Mason looked away, giving him a second to recover.

"Are you okay?" Liam asked, and Theo glanced up to where he was huddled with the team, eyes on him, and nodded, giving him a watery smile.

"You love him, don't you?" Mason asked.

"Yeah," Theo said. Liam grinned at him, ducking his head and turning his attention back to Coach Finstock. "I really do."

"Maybe a bit of advice then, if it's not too forward of me," Mason said.

Theo raised an eyebrow at him. "Advice?"

"Don't let Liam be your everything," Mason said. "You'll smother each other. At the moment you have him, school and supernatural bullshit. You don't really seem to have any hobbies, or spend time on your own."

Theo considered this. "You think we spend too much time together?" He asked, sounding worried. He didn't want Liam to get sick of him, to send him away. Just the thought of it made him feel sick to his stomach.

"No," Mason said firmly. "I can see you spiralling, and you need to stop." He grabbed Theo's shoulder and squeezed it. "I just meant that you need a hobby. Something that's just for you. It's not healthy to depend on another person completely."

"Oh," Theo said. "A hobby." He frowned. "I guess not trying to steal Scott's pack left a hole in my extracurriculars."

Mason snorted. "I figured. I can't imagine you had much time for them."

"Not really," Theo admitted.

"Didn't you skate sometimes when you were first in town?" Mason asked.

"Yeah, it was part of my cover," Theo replied, "but I sucked at it."

This made Mason smirk. "Perfect Theo not so perfect after all."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I bet you're rubbish on a skateboard as well."

"Probably," Mason admitted with a grin. "So, what else are you interested in?"

He shrugged. "No idea, to be honest."

"You could play a sport," Mason offered. "Finstock would probably let you on the team. Corey told me that he thinks it's hilarious how many supes he already has."

"No," Theo said, shaking his head, "that's Liam's thing."

"A different sport?" Mason asked.

Theo considered. "I always wanted to try football when I was a kid," he admitted, "but I had asthma, so my parents wouldn't let me try out."

"Asthma isn't a problem anymore," Mason smiled.

He nodded slowly. "True. Maybe I'll give it a shot." He looked at Mason, sort of surprised that they'd just had a normal conversation. "Thanks Mason."

Mason looked surprised as well. "Yeah, no problem."

"They're adorable," Corey cooed. Theo's head shot around, finding Corey standing in the goals, beaming up at them.

"So cute," Liam agreed from the centre of the field.

"Guys, can we focus please?" Nolan said timidly.

"Don't worry about it," Brett said from down by the goals, smirking back at them over his shoulder as the crowd cheered. "I can win this game on my own."

"Jerk," Theo muttered.

Mason glanced at him. "Huh?"

"Just Brett being Brett," Theo sighed. "Just be glad you can't hear him."

He looked at Mason, who had a thoughtful frown on his face. "Maybe I can," he mused.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked, confused.

"I'm a chimera, remember? Just like you," Mason pointed out, closing his eyes.

"Mason," Corey said, the anxiety in his voice making Theo pay attention.

"What? What is it? What's he doing?" Liam asked.

"I think he's trying to access his chimera powers, which is a really, really bad idea," Corey said, running towards the stands.

Theo acknowledged this with a nod, grabbing Mason's shoulder. "Mason? Mason? Dude, come on. Don't do anything stupid."

Mason opened his eyes, and Theo studied him, breathing a sigh of relief after a moment when everything seemed normal.

But then his eyes flashed, one the golden amber of a wolf, the other a bright neon pink, and Theo was struck by a debilitating pain. It felt like his brain was melting and he let go of Mason with a gasp, relieved when the pain immediately disappeared.

Corey reached them then, reaching for Mason, but Theo knocked his hand away.

"Don't touch him," he hissed. "There's something wrong."

Mason opened his mouth in a silent scream, his body starting to convulse while they both watched him with horror. Around them, people started noticing, calling for help.

The first adult to the scene was the Calavera, who took one look at Mason's eyes and started urging everyone to get back. The game stopped as the crowd was ushered away, all of them whispering and looking back over their shoulders, craning to get a good look at what was happening.

Liam, Brett and Nolan sprinted over, and Theo held them back with an arm.

"You can't touch his skin," he said urgently.

Liam brought a hand up to the side of his face, eyes wide with panic, coming away sticky with blood.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice wavering.

"The wolf is right," the hunter said gruffly. "You can't touch the boy. He's too far gone."

Corey snarled at him, and the hunter lifted up the sleeve of his shirt, showing the gun tucked into his side.

"You don't scare me," he said, his face impassive. "Get out of the way."

"Leave him alone," Corey growled.

"Stand down, wolf, and let me deal with this," the hunter said, slowly pulling out his gun. Theo clutched Liam's arm, feeling dizzy as he stared at the gun. A hunter of that calibre wouldn't have ordinary bullets.

"Back off hunter," Liam snarled. "This is your only warning."

The two of them studied each other, both determined to have this end their way. Theo had his money on Liam and pulled away from him, giving him his hands free for the Mexican standoff, though he wavered, dizziness making the world fuzzy around the edges.

"Not this time, kid," the hunter said, cocking his gun.

Liam lurched forward, eyes widening, but Brett was already there, standing between the hunter and Mason, hands held up.

"It doesn't have to end like this," Brett said, eyes glowing a fierce gold.

The hunter's eyes drifted down, spotting the tattoo on Brett's arm. "One of Satomi's," he noted.

"You know we don't want to hurt you," Brett continued, stepping closer, reaching his hand out for the gun. "We just want to help our friend."

"Look at him," the Calavera scoffed. "You can't help him. You can only end his suffering. Now move, kid."

Brett's eyes narrowed. "No."

"Suit yourself." The hunter's finger tightened on the release.

A second later, it went flying out of his hand as he was sent reeling backwards, Nolan standing over him, radiating power, his eyes a vibrant green, his face impassive.

"You will not harm these people," Nolan said in a monotone voice, brooking no argument. "You will get up, and you will leave."

The hunter stared at him like he'd seen a ghost. Nolan took a step forward and he scrambled back, reeking of fear. Turning tail, he sprinted away, leaving only the stink of his fear behind, and his gun.

Theo looked after him, even as Liam and Corey managed to get through to Mason and knock him out.

What had all that been about?

"I had a feeling something like this was going to happen," Deaton said, his face troubled as he leaned over Mason, lifting up each eyelid and shining the torch into his eyes. They were different colours, and Liam felt the panic in his chest rise up, choking him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Corey asked. He stood next to Mason, hands hovering like he wanted to touch him but felt like he wasn't allowed to.

"It's too early to tell," Deaton frowned. "I have some herbs I can try to rouse him, but until his eyes turn back, I feel it would be unwise."

"How do we turn them back?" Theo asked.

Liam felt a wave of gratitude for him voicing the words he couldn't get out.

"Wolfsbane should work," Deaton said reluctantly.

"But?" Theo prodded.

"But it will probably hurt him," he said quietly. Everyone turned to Corey.

"He's already in pain," Corey whispered. "If it helps, even a little, then do it."

Deaton nodded, pulling the vial from a drawer, drawing some into a needle and injecting it into his neck. Liam winced with remembered pain, watching the black lines spread through his veins.

Mason's brow smoothed out, his pained expression disappearing. When Deaton examined him again, both of his eyes were brown and Corey fell against him, sniffling into his neck. Liam turned away, relief flooding him.

He took a moment to breathe, to feel happy, and then he steeled himself, looking at Deaton, every inch the leader.

"How did this happen?" He asked, the tone of his voice demanding immediate answers.

"Mason accessed powers he wasn't ready for," Deaton said, squaring his shoulders as he turned to face Liam. "His mind shut down."

"What powers?" Liam asked.

"He told us that Mason's chimera is part Satori," Corey whispered.

"Enlightenment?" Brett asked. Liam whipped his head to stare at him.

"What?" He asked.

"It's a buddhist tradition," he frowned. "It means seeing into one's true nature, meditating and reaching enlightenment."

"Yes," Deaton said. "I believe that the creature is the origin of that tradition."

Theo shifted his feet, drawing Liam's attention. He looked thoughtful. "I think I remember something."

"From your time with the Dread Doctors?" Liam asked, staring at him.

Theo scratched at his neck, eyes distant as he tried to remember. "It was years ago," he said slowly. "The Dread Doctors took me with them to Japan and attacked a temple. They took something from there, but I never knew what. I just remembered seeing this statue in the temple. It was like an ape, but not, different, older somehow. I spent ages trying to find out what it was, but there's very little information about them."

Liam nodded, turning to look back at Deaton, who looked tense.

"They can read minds," Deaton admitted. "That's all I've been able to verify from the limited information available."

They all looked at Mason. "Telepathy?" Theo said with a frown. "It explains why the Dread Doctors wanted one so badly, I guess."

"I warned Mason about the dangers of testing his powers," Deaton sighed. "I wanted to find more information first, so that we weren't going in blind."

"And now?" Liam asked.

"Now he's woken them up," Deaton shrugged. "He's a chimera in truth now. As for how it will affect him? Well, only time will tell."

Liam stared down at his best friend, worry filling his chest. Mason had already been struggling. Who knew how much worse it would be now?


	38. Chapter 38

_Derek glanced at his phone, buzzing and flashing while Stiles' name and a silly photo of him making a kissy face that Derek didn't know how to remove flashed on the screen. His heart swelled and fluttered as he answered it. They'd been stuck in a motel on the road for three days. Any news from home was more than welcome._

 _"Stiles," he said, voice filled with warmth._

 _Argent glanced over at him from where he sat at the window, peering through the blinds._

 _"Love of my life," Stiles gushed through the phone and Derek felt his cheeks warm, still unused to the boy's easy affection. "My sun and stars."_

 _Derek chuckled, turning away from Argent and ignoring his knowing look. "What have you got for me?"_

 _"Alright," Stiles said, switching to business mode. "Latest is that she's on the move. We can't pin her down for more than half a day in any single place. McCall is starting to think she's got bogies running around spreading rumours and impersonating her."_

 _Derek ground his teeth together. "Then we chase every lead," he said, "crash some heads together until someone talks."_

 _"McCall said the same thing," Stiles agreed. "If we divide and conquer, we should find her faster. I'm unofficially sending you the list of a few sightings nearby."_

 _"Unofficially meaning McCall doesn't know?" Derek asked with a frown._

 _"Oh he knows," Stiles assured him and Derek could practically hear the glee in his voice. "It was his idea."_

 _"Okay, send it through," Derek said, glancing at Argent and trying to keep his own face impassive._

 _He heard Stiles tap away at his keyboard and his phone buzzed in his hand. Silence fell, and he concentrated now on the steady patter of Stiles' heartbeat, letting it centre him. It had only been just over a week since he'd last seen him, but it felt like years._

 _"It'll be over soon," Stiles said softly and Derek's heart swelled._

 _"I hope so," Derek sighed, not wanting anything more but to be back in their shared space, living their new life._

 _"Be safe," Stiles said. Derek could hear the worry in his voice and felt a pang in his chest._

 _There was an expectant silence._

 _"You know I'm not hanging up until you say it," Stiles said._

 _Derek glanced over at Argent, who deliberately wasn't looking at him, biting back a smirk. He huffed, glaring at him._

 _"I love you," he said quietly._

 _"Love you too Derek," Stiles said._

 _Derek rolled his eyes, affection filling him. "Bye," he said, hanging up the phone. Argent glanced at him. "Don't say it," he growled._

 _"Wasn't gonna say a word," Argent grinned, eyes twinkling with mirth._

 _"Sure," Derek said, opening up the text Stiles had sent him with the list of locations. "Let's figure out our next move."_

 _Argent moved closer, looking at his phone over his shoulder, and Derek turned his mind back to the grisly work of hunting Monroe down._

Nolan looked around, appraising the loft. There were lights and balloons and streamers plastered as far as the eye could see in various shades of blue. It should look tacky, but somehow Lori had made it look almost whimsical.

"Looks nice," Liam said, coming to stand beside him. Nolan nodded, glancing at him.

"Thanks again for letting us have it here," Nolan said.

Liam shook his head, giving him a bemused grin. "You're doing me a favour to be honest," he admitted. "If I have to eat one more of Lydia's sausage rolls I'm gonna scream."

"She scares me," Nolan said, glancing over to where the redhead was directing Theo and Corey as they set up a table.

"Me too," Liam said with a shudder. "And not just because she's crazy smart. She's tried to leave three times, and each time she just ends up back here."

Nolan glanced at him. "Here, specifically?" He asked.

"Yep," Liam said, shooting a worried glance at Theo, his hands twisting together nervously. "It freaks me out. Whatever this evil is, it's pointed here, at me and Theo."

"Why don't you leave?" Nolan asked him.

Liam shrugged helplessly. "And go where?"

"Home?" Nolan pointed out.

He shook his head. "I can't," he said firmly. Nolan raised an eyebrow at him, and Liam gave him a sceptical look. "Pot, meet kettle," Liam snarked.

Nolan looked away with a sigh. His family was still a sore point. They were far safer with him gone.

"Why do you two look so miserable?" Lydia asked as she approached them, eyes narrowed. Nolan jumped, startled as he looked up at her.

"I'm not, I'm happy, see?" He smiled at her, and she gave him a suspicious look. Her piercing gaze turned to Liam, who also smiled, though it looked more like a grimace.

Eventually, she sniffed, whirling on her heel and stalking away to terrorise some other unfortunate soul.

Lori walked up in her wake, looking at Nolan. "I think we're ready," she informed him.

Nolan gave her a friendly smile. "It looks great, Lori. You did a good job."

"Of course," she agreed, smirking at him. "Now, why don't you go pick up the birthday boy and bring him back here?"

"Alright," Nolan agreed. He nodded at Liam, making his way outside and taking the lift downstairs. Brett was still getting ready back at his place, and Nolan made his way over there in Brett's car, driving with extreme caution. He still wasn't used to driving on his own.

"I'm home," he called out as he unlocked the front door, letting himself in.

"In the bathroom," Brett yelled back. Nolan followed his voice, leaning in the doorway and admiring the view.

"Hey," Nolan said softly, meeting his gaze in the reflection of the mirror. Brett was dressed in black skinny jeans and a large, thick sweater, a lovely pinkish maroon that made him look even more tanned, and was currently fiddling around with his hair.

"Hey yourself," Brett greeted, smiling at him. "You look nice," he observed.

Nolan glanced down. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a black button up shirt. Lori had picked it for him, saying that it showed off his arms. He felt a little self-conscious in it. He knew it was silly now that he actually had muscles to show off, but he still felt a bit shy about showing off his body. The appreciation in Brett's eyes helped though.

"Thanks," he said, cheeks flushing, though he held Brett's gaze. "So do you."

"Come here," Brett said, turning around to face him. Nolan went to him, melting into his arms and taking a breath, deeply inhaling the light scent of his cologne. He felt the tension leave his shoulders as he basked in the feeling of Brett folded around him, holding him close against his chest.

"Are you ready to go?" Nolan asked, his voice muffled against Brett's sweater.

"Nearly," Brett sighed. He pulled away, looking down at him. "Is it selfish that I just want to ditch the others and spend tonight with you instead?"

"Yes," Nolan said, grinning at him, "but I know what you mean. You know Lori would hunt us down though."

"Yeah," Brett pouted. "She's got a vicious right hook on her too."

With a kiss on top of his head, Brett sighed and let him go, giving himself one last critical once over before gesturing for Nolan to lead the way. Nolan walked back through the house, relieved to hand the keys back to Brett and get into the passenger seat this time.

"Do you feel different being eighteen?" Nolan asked as he pulled out onto the road.

Brett considered this. "Not really," he said. "It feels no different to seventeen."

Nolan nodded, still watching him.

There was something about Brett that made him inherently fascinating. Nolan could watch him for hours without ever getting bored. His face was so expressive that you could almost see his thoughts manifesting, little frowns and upturns of his lips showing how busy his mind was. The sleepy eyes made you assume he was lazy, but he was the complete opposite. The only time Brett was ever still was when he was sleeping.

"You're staring," Brett said, still watching the road.

Nolan shrugged. "It's not my fault you're so interesting."

Brett smiled, glancing at him. "You're gonna make me blush in a second."

"I'd have to do a great deal more than look at you to make you blush," Nolan smirked.

Brett's eyes darkened. "You sure we have to go the party?" He asked, voice low and seductive as he pulled into the parking lot at the loft.

Nolan shivered. That look always lead to good things. "I'm sure," he said. "Save whatever's going on in that head of yours for later."

Brett laughed, turning the car off and hopping out, moving around to help Nolan out and wrapping his arm around him.

He stopped Nolan before he could walk off, pulling him into a tight embrace. It felt different than earlier, the lust almost palpable in the air, Brett's breath hot on his ear.

"Last chance to turn around and go home," Brett murmured, hands sliding down to grip Nolan's ass. They still hadn't done more than hand jobs or blow jobs, but that didn't phase Nolan. He had a feeling that Brett was waiting for the right time, and they he wouldn't be pushed past that point until he was ready.

"Tempting," he whispered, looking up at Brett through lidded eyes, his cock twitching with interest in his pants. It wouldn't take much for him to get hard. Brett just had that effect on him.

Brett leaned down, kissing him possessively, tongue sweeping into his mouth, and Nolan moaned, gripping the back of his neck and returning the kiss eagerly. He felt Brett smile against his lips and felt himself smiling as well.

"We better go up," Nolan sighed, pulling away.

They both looked up the loft, where light poured from the windows and the faint sound of music could already be heard.

"We will continue this later," Brett vowed, kissing him once more, before capturing Nolan's hand and leading him inside. Nolan smiled, following after him, gazing up at him with an adoring expression. He couldn't wait for later, but for now, they had a party to attend.

They were all still getting to know each other, but somehow none of that seemed to matter. A truce had been called, and Liam had yet to witness a single glare or snarky comment the whole night. Everyone was having a good time, standing around and chatting with heaped plates of food as music played in the background.

He looked over at Mason, who was sitting on the couch beside Corey. Liam had been a little worried when his best friend had still insisted on joining the party. He looked a bit fragile, his movements sluggish as he picked at his plate of food. All he really seemed to be doing was moving it around the plate, Corey watching on with a concerned frown. They were the only ones who seemed to be anything other than happy.

Well, everyone was worried, but they were hiding it well.

Mason sensed his gaze and looked up, offering him a weak smile, and Liam walked over to join him.

"I'm fine," Mason said automatically, his voice hoarse.

Liam nodded, though he didn't believe him. Mason screwed his nose up at him, the most animated he'd looked all night, his annoyance clear.

"I'm sick of everyone looking at me like I'm an invalid," he said, glaring at him. "I feel fine."

"Maybe," Liam said, "but you look like death Mase, and you scared the shit out of all of us. I think we're allowed to fuss a little."

Mason sighed, setting his plate down on the coffee table, tired of the charade. "I just want everything to go back to normal," he pouted.

"Danger is our normal now," Corey pointed out quietly. "That's just life in Beacon Hills."

"Well it sucks," Mason grumbled. "I'm seventeen but instead I feel seventy."

Theo walked towards them and sat on the couch beside Liam, his arm slipping around his waist. "What are we talking about?" He asked, glancing between the three of them.

"Getting old," Mason snapped.

"I hope so," Theo said, shrugging when Liam gave him a quizzical look. "What? Isn't that the best for us to hope for? Actually making it to our old age?"

Liam considered this, a thoughtful look on his face. "That's true," he said. He looked at Theo, frowning as he tried to picture what Theo would look like as an old man. He couldn't visualise it at all, which concerned him. Why couldn't he picture he and Theo getting old together?

"What is it?" Theo asked.

Liam looked over at Lydia, a feeling of foreboding stirring in his gut. His wolf tensed, ears perked as it searched for danger. It found none, but it still prowled restlessly inside of him. Nothing would happen to Theo, not under their watch.

"It's nothing," Liam said, giving him a weak smile and turning back to Mason, changing the subject.

Nolan heard the knock on the door but ignored it, leaning in closer as he listened to what Corey was saying, a smiling dancing on his lips.

Distantly, he noticed the warmth leaving his side, but then he was throwing his head back and laughing. It wasn't until ten minutes had passed and he was scanning the room for Brett that he realised he was gone.

He got to his feet, excusing himself and making his way over to Liam.

"Hey," Nolan said, sending Theo an apologetic look as Liam extricated himself from Theo's arms, turning to look at him.

"What's up?" Liam asked.

"Did you see who was at the door just before?" Nolan asked. "I think Brett went to answer it, but he never came back."

"It was a guy in a suit," Theo replied. "Briefcase and all, very official. He gave Brett a letter and then left."

"Oh," Nolan said, relaxing slightly. "Did you see where Brett went?"

Theo considered this. "He left not long after I think. I assumed he wanted a bit of privacy for his letter. He didn't come back?"

"No," Nolan said. "Thanks," he muttered, turning away and opening the door, letting himself out. He turned his nose up, sniffing the air.

There was a lingering scent trail that made Nolan's toes curl and every hair stand up on his body.

Something was wrong.

The car was gone, but Nolan was too worried to go back and ask for a ride. Instead, he ran, loping through the streets and bursting in through the front door.

"Brett?" Nolan called into the cold darkness of Brett and Lori's apartment, tuning his senses to lock onto the werewolf's frantic heartbeat.

"In here." Brett called, his voice sounding thick and muffled.

Nolan tried to pick apart the different chemosignals that filled the air and separate them from their own smell of pack that lingered around the tiny apartment. Nolan made his way into Brett's room, kicking off his shoes when he was greeted by the sight of Brett sitting rigidly on the bed, a sheet of paper clenched between his hands. He was completely wolfed out. His eyes glowing gold and his chest heaving.

"Brett, what's wrong?" Nolan cooed, not hesitating to climb up onto the bed behind Brett, pulling the werewolf in and holding him tight, trying his best to cover as much of Brett's body with his own smaller frame, rubbing his hands over what was left.

"All this time-" Brett whispered, the words coming out clipped around his fangs as he continued to draw in shaky breaths. "All this time we've been alone."

Nolan glanced around. It seemed as though Brett's pillow had died in a particularly bloody battle, feathers and scraps of cotton littering the floor. If it wasn't for the shakes that had begun to wrack Brett's body he would have laughed and definitely made a puppy joke.

But now was not the time.

Nolan was sure now that the scent burning his sinapses was something akin to fear. But what could have drawn Brett from his own party and scared him so much?

Brett gulped and Nolan tightened his grip, nuzzling his face into the skin under Brett's collar.

"What do you mean?" Nolan asked softly when Brett's shaking lessened to a mild tremor.

"I got a letter." Brett said, jerking his hand still clutching the paper and sucking in deep breaths. "Because I'm 18."

"Yeah?" Nolan asked, looking at them, intertwined, in Brett's bedroom mirror. Usually the sight made his belly flip flop, particularly when the situation at hand was a little steamier, but right now, the wrecked look on Brett's face and the pitiful hang of his head was sobering.

"My mom had a pack," he said pitifully.

"Born wolf, that makes sense." Nolan replied quietly, squeezing the back of Brett's neck gently.

"No." Brett shook his head, straightening his spine. "When I was a kid we moved around a whole lot, Mom was never with the same guy for very long, usually once they started to work out that she and her two bastard kids were not all the way normal we'd have to leave. And then we were only back here for a couple days before the fire. She had a pack here in Beacon Hills that drew her back in, a big one."

"Satomi?" Nolan guessed, looking at Brett with wide, questioning eyes.

"No." Brett said, once again steeling himself. "Hale."


	39. Chapter 39

_"You're home. Why are you home?" Stiles said, placing his book on the coffee table and pushing his glasses higher on his nose as he took in Derek, fresh from the road and standing in his doorway._

 _"Good to see you too, Stiles." Derek drawled, stripping his coat and hanging it on the hook by the door, kicking his duffel bag further into the apartment so that he could shut and lock the door behind him._

 _"My sun and moon has returned to me!" Stiles gasped dramatically, throwing himself backwards onto their plush couch; the one thing that Derek had insisted supplying on when his belongings had joined Stiles'._

 _"Stiles." Derek said, rolling his eyes but moving around the room to drop down on top of Stiles on the couch, nuzzling under his chin in wolfy greeting. "We've hit all kinds of dead ends." He whispered, once he had also thoroughly reunited himself with Stiles' plush lips._

 _"Disappointing. McCall had some crazy theory that Monroe has gone like full occult. Like planning her movements by the alignment of the stars." Stiles whispered, using kisses to punctuate his sentences. "But how unlikely does that seem?"_

 _"You look tired." Derek said, pulling Stiles' glasses from his face and dropping them on top of his long forgotten book. "Have you been sleeping?"_

 _"Sleep doesn't always come easy when you're missing your big hunk of a werewolf boyfriend." Stiles said, gripping Derek's biceps and grinning despite his tired eyes._

 _"You managed to sleep fine before we were together." Derek said, rubbing his thumbs into the fine lines around Stiles' eyes._

 _"Oh Baby, that's what you think. I haven't had a full night sleep since I sold my soul to the Nemeton to save my dad." Stiles said, reaching up from the couch to press sweet kisses to Derek's lips._

 _"You haven't?" Derek asked, raising one eyebrow in worry._

 _"Nope. But it's been much better since I've had your wolfy ass to wear me out." Stiles wound his arms around Derek like a monkey, pulling him down onto the couch on top of him. Derek let something like a content growl rumble from his chest, allowing his wolf the indulgence of burying his face into the human's neck._

 _"You should be able to sleep, Stiles." Derek muttered, pressing open mouth kisses along Stiles's throat, playing 'join the dots' with moles he found there._

 _"I just, Oh that's nice Derek!" Stiles moaned as Derek laved attention on a particularly sensitive spot. "When I left town I thought that I was walking away from whatever pull the Nemeton had on me. What I would do for one night where my dreams weren't haunted by a damn tree trying to suck me back in."_

 _Derek pulled back, something in Stiles' throwaway comment not sitting right with him. Stiles' eyes blinked open slowly, a slow, sappy smile spreading across his face making Derek's wolf hum with contentment in his chest._

 _"But enough about all that, Snugglewolf. Take me to bed."_

"Hale?" Nolan asked, looking at Brett quizzically. "As in Derek Hale?"

"According to this," Brett said, holding up the piece of paper, now crumpled and slightly tear stained. "We're cousins. My mum was apparently Talia and Peter's deadbeat little sister. Found a man that promised her everything and got married real young. Got knocked up with me and when things got bad, she took me and ran. Then there was step dad number one and baby Lori and things were good for a little while, but then there was a near miss with some hunters. Mum took us and ran and then she got really good at getting her hands on distilled wolfsbane."

"She drank?" Nolan asked, blinking at Brett, these admissions hitting him hard.

"A whole lot. She was a drunk; a paranoid one." Brett shrugged. "But also one that craved companionship. Which meant a whole heap of stepfathers and a whole lot of us leaving in the middle of the night when things got messy."

"Explains some about you." Nolan said sadly and Brett just shrugged.

"And then one day I remember she was really happy and she packed us up and moved us back here and left us with Satomi while she tried to straighten it out with her family." Brett's eyes narrowed, as if he was focusing on memories dancing just out of reach. "I never got to meet them but I remember she came home and she tucked us in for the night and told us that in the morning she would be taking us home for the full moon and that we would have other cubs to play with and that she would be better for us. And we were so excited because she looked so beautiful and strong for the first time in practically our whole lives. Like a wolf drawing strength from the pack."

"Brett." Nolan breathed, his own heart hammering to meet the same speed as Brett's.

"And then she was dead in a fire with every other member of our family and Satomi took us in." Brett shrugged, blinking back the hint of a tear. "And the rest you know."

"The Hale fire. Kate Argent killed your family." Nolan stated, connecting the dots.

"And according to this," Brett said, eyes blank as he held up the paper again. "All Hale cubs are set to inherit a small fortune when they turn eighteen. And I am eighteen."

"So what does this mean? What do you do next?" Nolan asked, squeezing Brett's neck again.

"I think the first thing is, uh, talk to my family I guess."

Liam closed the door on the last guest, leaning against it with a sigh as he looked around the loft. The party had wound down pretty quickly once the actual guest of honour had left and it had been clear that he wasn't returning.

"I wonder why Talbot skipped out?" Theo mused from where he stood over by the window, looking out onto the street below.

"Dunno," Liam said, slowly walking up to him and placing a hand on his back. Theo leaned back and Liam wrapped his arms around him, drawing comfort from the contact after a long night of playing host in Brett's absence. He pressed his nose into Theo's neck, inhaling his mate's scent, trying to chase away the underlying anxiety humming under his skin. "Hopefully nothing bad." They'd had more than enough bad recently.

"You're worried," Theo observed.

Liam sighed. "Yeah," he admitted. "He might be an asshole, but he's our asshole, you know?"

He felt the vibration of Theo's laugh. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he agreed. "Wouldn't be the same without him snapping and snarling all the time."

Liam hummed his agreement, nuzzling in closer. "I'm more worried about Mason," he whispered. He felt Theo go still.

"I wish I could fix it for you," Theo said, sounding frustrated. "I keep thinking that I should have looked into what the Dread Doctors were actually up to. Then maybe I'd know something actually useful."

"Knowing what it was helped, I think," Liam said, tightening his grip on Theo slightly. "Deaton should be able to find out more."

Theo nodded. "Maybe," he said, though he still sounded unsure. He went quiet for a minute, lost in thought. "I almost wish I could just find where they stashed all their records," he whispered.

"Wait, what records?" Liam asked.

Theo pulled away and turned, looking startled. "They kept records of all their experiments. Like full detailed accounts of every little success and failure."

"They did?" Liam gaped. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go and look for them!" The reluctance in Theo's eyes gave him pause. "What is it?" He asked.

"I don't know, I don't know if you'll like everything you'll find." Theo admitted, looking pale. Through their bond, Liam could feel his growing panic. It was so strong that it affected him as well, making his hands shake as he reached for Theo.

"Hey, hey," he whispered soothingly, approaching Theo slowly, "it's okay. There is literally nothing in there that that could change how I feel. You're alright."

Theo sniffled, letting Liam pull him into a crushing hug. Sometimes Liam forgot just how broken Theo was, how much he had yet to deal with. Hell, he'd only just stopped flinching when Liam touched him. There was no way that Liam was going to push him into dealing with the tunnels before he was ready.

"I think you forget what they tried to make me. The monster I was." Theo whispered, his pain pouring through the bond only making Liam hold on tighter.

"Past tense," he whispered into Theo's hair. "No longer a monster. Only my mate."

Liam lead Theo back towards the couch, guiding him down to lie with his head in his lap, soothing his fingers through his hair, offering comfort. He looked down at Theo, his heart heavy. Everyone was so fragmented at the moment. Brett had whatever was going on with him, Nolan was still dealing with his guilt and grief, Mason was weak from his ordeal and coming to terms with his chimera, Corey was watching on helplessly, and Theo was still a work in progress. Not to mention, Lydia couldn't stay away from Beacon Hills because of some mortal peril that threatened them all. And to top it all off, Liam still hadn't fixed things with his parents. He had so many people leaning on him, and he had no idea how to help any of them.

Brett heard the front door open and turned towards it. The heartbeat was as familiar as his own. Lori. His little sister poked her head in the door, taking in the way the two boys were leaning on each other, the letter still tightly gripped in Brett's hands.

"Hey," she said, looking uncertain. "Everything okay? I got worried when you guys both left the party without saying anything."

He gave her a smile that looked more like a grimace, dropping his eyes to the letter. "Sorry," he muttered. "I got some news."

Lori walked further in the door, moving to sit on his other side, leaning into him.

"Tell me," she said quietly. Between her and Nolan, he felt stronger. This was his pack, his family.

He opened his mouth, but then froze. A car door slammed, then another. "Do you hear that?" He hissed.

Nolan nodded, panic plain on his face.

Heavy booted footsteps, a gun being cocked.

Lori slid silently towards the window, peering through the closed blinds. "Hunters," she confirmed, her voice grim, lips pursed. Her eyes widened, and then she dropped to the floor. Brett grabbed Nolan's hand, pulling him onto the ground and covering him with his body as the first bullets rang out.

His sister reached a hand towards him and he gripped it, burying his face in Nolan's neck, waiting and praying.

After a minute, the gun fire stopped.

"Reckon they're dead?" They heard one hunter ask.

"Gotta be, after that," the other said. "You wanna go check?"

"Not fucking likely," the first replied angrily. "You go."

"Come on," Brett whispered, sliding back, guiding them with him. They could escape out the back while these two morons were arguing.

"Monroe said we gotta check," the second snapped. Brett's eyes narrowed. So that bitch was hunting him again. The urge to run out and attack them and get them to give her a message was almost overwhelming, but he had to think of his family first.

"Stay low," he hissed to Lori, who was also looking back towards the hunters, rage flashing in her golden eyes.

She turned towards him and nodded, continuing to follow.

Brett thanked every deity under the sun that he'd had the foresight to build in a secret escape when they'd first moved in. He'd installed the dummy air-conditioner duct himself, hidden from the outside behind a large bush, just large enough for one person to squeeze out at a time. On the inside it was hidden in Lori's bedroom, behind her bedside table.

As quietly as he could, he pushed it aside, undoing the grate and putting it on his bed. Hopefully by the time they entered the house and found the secret exit they'd be long gone.

He pushed Lori through first, then Nolan, following them through. Two pairs of hands pulled him through, and they stood in the bushes, sense straining in every direction.

"What do we do?" Nolan breathed, anxiety pouring off him in waves.

"We have to warn Liam," Brett said in a low voice. "They're probably next."

Nolan nodded, and Brett took a moment to squeeze his hand reassuringly before leading them through the overgrown garden and leaping over the fence, adrenaline and anger keeping him focussed. He wasn't ready to die, not here, not now. He had too much to live for.

He watched from a distance, shaking his head. Fucking amateurs. Pulling out his phone, he dialled Araya.

"Severo," she said simply, picking up on the first ring.

"There are others hunting him," he informed her.

"Professionals?" She asked, the anger in her tone clear. He could clearly picture the pinched expression on her face.

He clicked his tongue and looked idly at the small police scanner in his hand. "Hardly. They shot up the house and argued loudly in the street. Already three patrol cars on their way here."

Araya hummed. "Don't interfere unless they look like they might actually be successful," she instructed him. "We need him alive."

She hung up the phone, and Severo turned his car back on, pulling out onto the street. Not even thirty seconds later a patrol car tore past him, lights flashing. He smirked.


	40. Chapter 40

_Something had woken Derek up. He opened his eyes, blinking slowly, his mind foggy. His nose was pressed into Stiles' neck, and he inhaled deeply, letting the scent soothe him. He pulled back, examining him. Stiles was asleep, limbs wrapped around Derek's body, mouth gaping open. Derek gave him a fond smile. No, whatever woke him up hadn't come from Stiles._

 _He turned his senses outwards, searching the night for the source of the disturbance._

 _Silence, and then, a scuff of a shoe and a muttered curse._

 _Derek was out of bed and at the window in the blink of an eye._

 _"What is it?" Stiles mumbled sleepily._

 _"Quiet," Derek hissed._

 _He peered through the blinds, angled so that anyone looking in wouldn't be able to see him._

 _Movement caught his eye almost immediately. There were three, no four, people walking towards the house. They were slinking, wary, glancing around. In the darkness, Derek couldn't see their faces. But there was no mistaking their destination._

 _He heard movement as Stiles moved quietly around the room, the clink as he picked up his loaded shoulder holster and then soft feet as Stiles crossed the room to come up behind him, peering over his shoulder._

 _"A threat?" Stiles asked almost silently, knowing that Derek could hear him_

 _"Maybe," he whispered back. "I can't tell."_

 _The four people stopped in front of their house, looking towards it. One pulled a phone out of their pocket. Derek narrowed his eyes._

 _His phone buzzed, and Derek turned away from the window to hide the glow of his screen. He unlocked it, opening the message._

 _Received 2:13am. Throw me to the wolves..._

 _Derek smiled, the tension leaching from his shoulders. He typed back rapidly and then chucked his phone onto the bed._

 _"Der?" Stiles hissed after him._

 _"It's okay," he said, moving through the house and to the front door._

 _He opened it, Stiles rushing to stand behind him. In front of the door was Peter, Malia and Kira, and of course-_

 _"...and I'll return leading the pack," came a sweet voice. "Hello, big brother."_

 _"Cora," Derek grinned._

"Gunpowder." Theo said, jerking up from where he had been resting his head on Liam's bare chest. By the time they scrambled for their clothes and the front door, the elevator was opening and Brett, Nolan and Lori rushed out.

"What happened?" Liam asked frantically, pulling his shirt on and doing his best to get some order back into his hair.

"Hunters." Nolan squeaked, going straight for the love seat and wrapping himself in a throw rug.

Theo shot Liam a worried look as he moved into the kitchen area of the loft to boil the kettle and his mate settled Lori and Brett into chairs and found more blankets. When everyone was settled, wrapped in blanket burritos and nursing cups of tea, Lori explained what had happened to them.

Liam breathed deep when she finished her story, before pulling out his phone and calling Corey.

"Corey, where are you guys?"

"We're at Mason's house and were asleep, why?" Corey said, his voice rough with sleep.

"The hunters are making their move. They attacked Brett and Lori's place. They're fine- they're at the loft." Liam rushed. "We need a plan."

"Liam it's three in the morning, I promise that I will be hyper vigilant but at this point in time I just want to go back to sleep. The Calaveras know that Mason is not a threat."

"First thing tomorrow then." Liam snapped down the line, this would be so much easier if they all just lived in the same place.

"Make us breakfast and I'm yours for the scheming." Corey drawled, hanging up the phone.

When this next threat was dealt with, Liam promised himself, he would do whatever it took to repair his relationship with Corey.

"Right, well see you first thing then." Liam said, hanging up the phone.

All the while, Theo had been buzzing around the room, pulling out the bed part of their ikea sofa bed and finding linen, setting the others up to be as comfortable as possible no matter how little sleep they would be getting.

All the while, Nolan rocked in his chair, while Lori looked questioningly at Brett and Brett glared at a piece of paper he had scrunched in his hand.

"What news did you get, Brett?" Lori asked, when Theo finally stopped fussing and Liam returned to the couch.

"It was about Mum." Brett said quietly, looking up at Liam and then over to Nolan before shrugging. "I guess there is no point keeping it a secret."

"What about Mum?" Lori asked quietly, looking skeptically at the piece of paper that Brett was now holding out to her, taking it from him gingerly. "What does this say?"

"It's about Mum's family, the Hales. And what they gift to each of their pups when they come of age." Brett explained as Lori's eyes widened, clearly seeing the sum.

"Hale? As in Derrek?" Theo asked, settling down next to Liam, clearly done with his fluffing over everyone.

"And Peter, and Cora and Malia and the rest of our family that died in the fire." Brett explained. "I don't remember ever meeting mom's pack, but apparently they knew all about me."

"I think I do." Lori said, handing back the paper. "I remember a heap of other kids and I remember the alpha. She was kind, I think."

"What does this mean?" Liam asked, "What do you have to do with this information?"

"Well I guess I contact my family." Brett shrugged. "And then we kill some hunters."

"Scott, come to bed," Isaac grumbled as Scott paced the room. Scott glanced at him, but shook his head. He was far too restless to lie still. There was an itch under his skin, intensifying every time he closed his eyes.

It wasn't a new feeling, by any means. Stiles had been the first one to notice, asking Scott if he'd been having weird dreams since they'd opened their minds to the Nemeton. It had been subtle at first. Darkness. Whispering voices. A presence, not good or evil, just ever watchful. Most of the time, Scott was able to ignore it. He had a strong will, so it was rare that the Nemeton was able to affect his dreams in any significant way, especially from this distance.

But now, it was a completely different story. The Nemeton was shrieking in his mind, setting his teeth on edge.

He paused at the table where all of his notepads and textbooks for school were laid open from when he'd been studying before bed. Each and every page was covered in indecipherable writing and the same picture again and again. A stump, the roots going deep into the earth. The Nemeton.

"I can't," he replied finally. How long had it been? A minute? An hour? He had no idea.

Isaac was still watching him, sitting up in their bed, sheets tangled around his waist. Normally, the sight of Isaac in his bed sent a thrill running down his spine, but right then all Scott could feel was relief. Isaac was here. Isaac was safe.

This train of thought stopped him in his tracks, his eyes and ears straining towards something he couldn't see or hear. Did that mean that everyone back home wasn't safe?

"Scott?" Isaac asked, sounding even more concerned now. "What are your instincts telling you?"

He closed his eyes, searching inside himself, connecting to his wolf and letting it guide him.

Scott turned towards Isaac, eyes glowing red, fangs bared. "Protect the pack," the alpha snarled.

He was in the school, standing outside of the guidance office, the lights in the school flickered.

Inside the office, the ceiling was open to the dark sky, a storm swirling overhead, barely masking the nearly full moon.

Mason pushed at the door, focusing on the woman, taking in the spread of plans laid out across the desk.

Monroe didn't notice him, instead she muttered, checking the maps and lists in front of her before glancing up at the moon.

"It's almost time."

Mason woke, sweating in his bed with Corey kneeling over him. The feeling of dread washing over him in waves making his lungs work double time to suck in air.

Corey patted his hair, offering a paper bag and sympathetic words until Mason was a little more in control.

Looking up at his boyfriend, he opened his mouth, his voice coming out rough like sandpaper.

"Monroe. She's coming."


	41. Chapter 41

_Mason sat nested amongst the pillows. Corey had his head resting on his chest, fast asleep and lightly snoring as Mason gently brushed against the dark circle under one of Corey's eyes. He was exhausted, physically and emotionally. And it was all Mason's fault._

 _He always felt Corey watching him, his brow furrowed. It had been months now, ever since the Beast had inhabited his body. Corey looked at him like he was going to vanish any second, kissed him like it was the last time every time, and it broke Mason's heart._

 _Corey shifted, the smooth line of his brow furrowing, and Mason traced it with his thumb. Tapping into his power, he dipped into Corey's mind, into the vibrant kaleidoscope of bright red blood, green dripping poison and a cacophony of yells and screams. His dreams had been getting darker and darker of late._

 _It made sweat bead on Mason's brow as he did his best to soothe it, to paint over the dream with soft puffy white clouds drifting on a bright blue sky, the warmth of the sun's rays on his skin, the cocoon of safety inside Mason's arms. It was worth it though. Corey relaxed against him, a smile on his lips, and Mason carded a hand through his hair, smiling as well. He didn't mind putting in the effort for Corey. Sweet dreams were the least he deserved._

 _He watched over him all night, chasing away the nightmares, letting Corey's peace seep into him, until he could almost convince himself that it was his peace too._

 _Mason knew he should be sleeping, but he was utterly sick of seeing Monroe's face. Was it important to know what she was up to? Almost definitely. But Mason was too bone-weary to care. The medicine that Morelle had given him had long since run out, and he hadn't gone to Deaton's to get some more. He was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. The only rest he could seem to find was in Corey's arms._

 _Almost as if thinking his name had summoned him, Corey began to stir. Mason thought about pretending to be asleep, but Corey always seemed to know anyway. Instead, he just continued to smooth his hair away from his face._

 _Corey blinked a few times, his eyes slowly focussing on him. Mason smiled at him, reaching for him in his mind. Corey's thoughts were so pure, so full of love. The Satori drank from them like it was starving, basking in the positive energy. It helped, a little, and Corey smiled back as he leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips._

 _"Couldn't sleep?" He asked, his voice rough. Mason shivered, moving in closer, and Corey tightened his arms around him._

 _"No," Mason admitted._

 _The concern in Corey's eyes made Mason wilt slightly, the Satori shying away from the negativity. That wasn't what he needed right now._

 _"I'm fine," he said to Corey, gripping at his hair, gently guiding his lips back to his own. "Just, kiss me? Please?"_

 _Unable to deny him anything, Corey slotted his mouth over his, kissing him softly and slowly, the relief and love pouring from his body rejuvenating Mason. Yes, he needed this. More of it. Not letting the kiss turn greedy, it continued, sweet and sound. Tongues played and teeth nipped, staying playful rather than moving into anything with more intent._

 _The closeness was exactly what Mason needed right now. He needed to feel connected to Corey. Finally, he could understand all that talk the werewolves made about anchors. He had his right here under him and it soothed the monster inside him._

The room had been quiet for along time while everyone processed what Brett had said and what it meant.

"We need to call Derek," Theo said at Brett's admission. "He should be able to confirm or deny it."

"I think seven figures confirms the truth," Brett snarled. "How many born werewolf families died in fires in this town, Theo?"

"It makes sense," Liam said quietly, placing his hand on Theo's shoulder soothingly. "I'll call."

Liam removed himself to the bathroom, sitting on the cool tiles as he pulled his phone out and dialed Derek's number.

"Liam," came Derek's gruff answer. Faintly in the background, he could hear Stiles clearly being prevented from taking the phone and complaining loudly that Liam never called him, even if the hour was apparently 'ungodly'.

"Derek. We have a problem," Liam said once Stiles had been placated.

"Apparently we have a few," Derek said with a yawn, "I'm putting you on speaker, what have you got?"

"Brett Talbot turned eighteen this weekend and he got a letter and a very sizable cheque from Hale Industries," Liam explained, not sure suddenly with how much he should be giving away and what he should leave for Brett. All he knew was that he needed Derek to get back to Beacon Hills. "His family died in a fire, Derek."

"Brett is a born wolf, Der, not bitten," Stiles said quietly, clearly piecing the information together quickly.

"There are hunters after us- the ones from Mexico. They shot up Brett and Lori's place and I think they are after-"

"Enough!" Derek barked, making Liam jump and Stiles start to complain again. "No more over the phone. We're on our way back, just keep everyone safe and close and I'll send you coordinates."

Liam hung up the phone, his expression grim. Why did all of the older members of the pack act like he was a baby? Hadn't they all left him in charge?

Theo knocked on the door once and then let himself in, quietly closing it behind him. He held his arms open and Liam fell into them, soaking in the comfort his mate offered.

The whole night had been a drain. Since being turned, Liam's life had been one big bad after another trying to kill them. Up until now, Liam had had Scott, the constant, comforting presence of his alpha hanging over his shoulder. Since Scott had left, it meant that he had felt the need to step up and take that role for everyone under his pack.

And he was getting tired.

Liam took everything that Theo was willing to give him, letting his mate drop them down onto the cool tiles, winding his arms and legs around Theo as he settled in his lap.

"You are doing a good thing." Theo whispered, massaging the tension from the back of Liam's neck. "The right thing."

"I don't have a clue what I'm doing," Liam mumbled, rubbing his face into Theo's collarbone, sucking in lungfuls of scent and winding the red string around his hand. He used their bond to draw comfort, offering whatever he could in return. "I don't know what is coming and what to do, but I want everyone to be okay. I can't lose anyone."

"Maybe you don't know right now," Theo said quietly, "but when it is time, you will know."

With Liam and Theo out of the room and Lori curled up in an armchair, sleep somehow finding her, Nolan wormed his way under Brett's blankets. The fear and confusion that had been rolling off of Brett since he had first admitted what the letter contained was still saturating Nolan's senses, making him feel emotionally drained.

Surely one day he and Brett would be able to walk down the street, or even just be in a house without having to have several alarms and escape routes planned out for them in advance.

What he wouldn't give to not have to look over his shoulder constantly.

Nolan focused inwardly as he squirmed against Brett, trying to get his own emotions under control to be as comforting as he could be to Brett.

"So big night, huh," Nolan said fitting himself into Brett's side. "How do you feel?"

"Like I wish that hunters would stop trying to kill me and my family," Brett muttered. "It's getting really old."

"Liam's calling Derek, doesn't that just freak you out that you suddenly have cousins and a uncle?" Nolan said, looking up at Brett with wide eyes. Brett clenched his own shut and Nolan couldn't help reaching up and trying to smooth the wrinkle lines on Brett's face.

"Honestly for tonight I am so done thinking about it," Brett said, easily moving Nolan so that he was tucked between Brett and the back of the couch, sending a thrill through the werejaguar who wished that perhaps they weren't on their packmates couch with Brett's sleeping sister only feet away. "I think it's a problem for future Brett to deal with."

"Fair," Nolan agreed, nuzzling into Brett's neck and closing his eyes, allowing the feeling of safety to finally pull him into sleep.

Derek had tried to call Peter in the penthouse master bedroom the minute he had gotten off the phone with Liam, envisioning that Peter would help get the girls out of bed so they could get on the road, find an all night diner and plot.

In reply, Peter sent a text message, explaining in short terms that there was no way that Peter was missing out on the breakfast menu this hotel was famous for and that he was not prepared to be the one to try and wake Malia and Kira for fear of death.

Rather than an nondescript hotel on the highway, Peter had insisted on a much nicer, much more expensive hotel, booking them into the penthouse suite apartment, taking the master for himself before leaving all of the others to split off and find rooms to suit their purposes. Derek had pulled Stiles down to the opposite end of the giant suite and into a room that was bigger than the whole floor plan of his father's house, complete with a bathtub that could comfortably fit several people.

Instead of the family meeting he had wanted, Derek had fumed on the plush lounge in their room while Stiles ran him a bath, before proceeding to look like he was ready for murder once he was submerged amongst the bubbles.

"So, gift of money on the 18th from Hale Industries," Stiles said when he had Derek somewhat relaxed back into him in the bathtub. "Seems a lot like the gift that Malia got, including a handwritten letter from your mom."

"It was her Alpha thing, she would write these letters for all new cubs and then send them off with the attorney with the paperwork for their trust," Derek explained. "I got my own a few weeks after Laura and I got to New York."

"What did you do?"

"Bought a whole bunch of distilled wolfsbane and a Ford Mustang GT," Derek said with a laugh, "That car was sex on wheels. It's still in storage out in New York, maybe I'll pull it out next time we are on the East Coast."

"Nice to see that your game has evolved beyond attracting people's attention with your car. Unless you are planning on attracting my attention with your old car. Then I guess I am all for it." Stiles huffed for a moment before nuzzling into Derek's neck, his voice soft. "I can imagine how much a letter from the grave would mess a guy up. My mum didn't do much writing once the dementia set in and I know how crazy I would be for anything she had touched."

"I'll let you read it one day, If you want," Derek said softly, resting his head back onto Stiles' shoulder. "It was full of her hopes for me and the pack and how Laura and I had to look out for each other and just how important family was."

Stiles hummed his agreement. For a few minutes they just relaxed, eyes closed, Stiles pressing chaste kisses against Derek's neck.

"Do you remember Brett?" Stiles asked softly. "Or his sister Lori?"

"My mom had a little sister," Derek said, leaning back harder into Stiles when the younger man started to run his soapy hand absentmindedly through his chest hair. "She was kind of a mess, but she came home with her kids right before-" He sighed, trailing off. "We thought they had been killed too," he mumbled.

"So we wait for morning and ask Peter what he remembers and then get home as soon as possible?"

"And we should probably call Scott."

"Honestly Stiles, if the giant cheque wasn't a tip off, how many born wolf families do you think died in fires in Beacon Hills?" Peter said, still dressed in a luxurious bathrobe and sipping on a cappuccino when Stiles and Derek arrived in the penthouse for breakfast the next morning. "Nephew, your choice in romantic partners never fails to disappoint."

"Not now, Peter," Derek growled, aggressively pulling a croissant from the smorgasbord Peter had ordered for them. "Long lost family members have been coming out the woodwork for years, it's about time that one of them turned out to be trouble."

"Hey!" Malia said, shoveling bacon into her mouth. Kira, sitting beside her, hid her smile behind her hand, looking down at her plate.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cora added, emerging from one of the suites rooms with wet hair and also dressed in a robe.

"It's been a long time since the Hales have had much luck," Stiles said, loading his plate before settling next to Derek. Hell, if they needed to be held up because of Peter's need for a fancy breakfast spread in a fancy hotel because he was too good for the motor inn on the highway, well Stiles may as well enjoy it.

"Which is why it is so curious that you are so intent on marrying into the family one way or another," Peter said, taking another snide drink of his fancy coffee as he glanced between Derek and Stiles. "Although I think the man love suits you both better."

"So, Brett Talbot?" Derek said, trying to redirect the conversation back to what they needed to be productive. "What do you know?"

"He belongs to my younger sister," Peter said, still seemingly more focused on the food in front of him. "I felt a tingle of recognition when we were on holidays but familial bond can be significantly weakened when a wolf has lived with another pack for so long."

"What do you remember?" Cora asked, taking a long drink of her own coffee, settling in for Uncle Peter Story Time.

"Amelia was only a couple of years younger than me and pack life was never easy for her," Peter explained. "Derek would remember what it was like, I was brought up to be Talia's second in the same way that Talia was raising you to be Laura's." Derek set down his fork, pushing his plate away from him, clearly having lost his appetite.

"Amelia was always at a loose end, and our father, who was alpha before Tahlia, tried his best but she just didn't connect with the pack. She became pregnant around the time that I was dealing with Corrine and the upcoming birth of my beautiful baby girl." He paused to wink at Malia, who rolled her eyes. "And Talia was expecting her own daughter and there were so many pregnant supernaturals in the old house."

"What a nightmare," Malia muttered. Kira giggled.

Peter continued, his brow furrowing as he concentrated on his memories. "And then Amelia was gone. She had always been a bit rough and from what I remember she was pretty into any variety of wolfsbane she could get her hands on. We didn't get to see her again until just before the fire."

"Didn't you look for her?" Cora asked and Stiles stiffened, surely this new revelation would be hard for all of the Hales. Knowing that they had lost so many people and the responsibility of tracking down those that were left being up to a couple of distressed teenage werewolves.

"I was a little distracted, although at the time I wasn't completely sure why. Amelia always gave us enough information that we knew they were alive and that she had had another child, obviously this Lori. If you pushed too much she would disappear and we would hear nothing until Christmas time. Then one day she came back with the two kids. I didn't even get to meet the kids before the fire."

"I think I did," Derek said, scrunching his nose. So much had happened in the time surrounding the fire, and then the pain in the aftermath meant that even for the Hales that hadn't been in a coma, the memories were still hazy. "Mom and I went to their hotel with old clothes because Auntie Amy had said no to taking money from Mom when she turned up at the house. Mom didn't have anything she could give the boy so she bought new stuff and washed it and left it out in the sun to wear it down."

"Sounds very Talia and Amelia," Peter said, smiling at the memory of his sisters. Stiles wondered what kind of person Amelia would have been, considering all he had been told about Talia. Clearly she would have been coloured more like Peter, if Brett and Lori were anything to go by, rather than Talia's dark hair and green eyes that she had passed onto her children.

"I remember thinking that my cousins were dirty and not being very impressed by these little kids I was meant to be related to," Derek said slowly, taking Stiles' hand and linking their fingers. When in private, Derek made no secret of seeking out contact from Stiles. But for him to seek the comfort of his anchor in front of the others, it told Stiles that all of this was bringing up emotional pain long pushed down. "I had lots of misguided opinions back then."

"Well, from what I understand, Brett and Lori inherited the Hale gene for self sacrifice which may be problematic with all of the hunters on the loose," Peter said, draining the last off his coffee and pushing his plate away, dusting his hands on his robe. "Well, anyway. There's no point staying around any longer. We are meeting at the old house in the woods? Yes? We best be on the road."

Stiles looked over at Derek, at the pain clear on his face, and was glad that they had hours on the road that they could talk and work through this. Or, if they had to pull into a secluded rest stop somewhere between here and Beacon Hills and not talk, then that would be fine too.


	42. Chapter 42

_Nothing was going to plan._

 _It was all so logical, everything that Gerard had told her. She had seen the beasts with her own eyes, watched as the power that they had no right to drained from their eyes. Things that had no business making sense all pieced together in her mind._

 _But this tree stump._

 _This tree stump made absolutely no sense._

 _How was this the centre of supernatural power in North America? How had the Hales protected it for so long? She had seen the former Hale alpha, now somehow a beta, which also made no sense. The fact that he came from a line of wolves apparently strong enough to protect a stump for centuries while it hibernated, was frankly laughable._

 _This whole situation was laughable._

 _Monroe kicked the stump in front of her, wondering how everything had gone so wrong. At one point, she had had the whole of the town on her side and armed, ready to destroy every unnatural creature that was drawn into the vicinity of the stupid magic stump._

 _Gerard was gone now, destroyed by his own daughter._

 _The other hunters were scattered, shaken by the power of the True Alpha._

 _The townspeople had returned to their lives, seemingly content to live with the unnatural creatures that called Beacon Hills home._

 _But not her._

 _No, Monroe would not forget the way that the Beast had loomed over her, how she had needed to hide among the bodies of her dead colleagues and students._

 _Since Gerard was gone, she had used some of the resources left to her to explore this connection to the supernatural world and now she was sure that she had it._

 _Pulling a knife from her pocket, she carved a series of runes into a thick root of the three, copying them explicitly from a page written in Gerard's neat handwriting._

 _This was it._

 _A beginning to the end._

 _Finally._

***

The silence in the car was deafening. Well, the sounds of the Jeep ominously rattling could be clearly heard, but other than that, neither of them were talking.

Isaac glanced at Scott, who was driving, his brow furrowed as he stared at the road. He was worried about him. He'd turned up a week late for classes, and now he was bailing again not even a month in without so much as a word to anyone at school.

Looking down at his hands, Isaac sighed. He remembered the first time he'd really seen Scott. It had been at Deaton's clinic, and he'd taken pain for the first time from an animal. As those black lines had inched their way up his forearms, he'd looked at Scott with tears in his eyes, laughing, and Scott had just beamed at him. It had changed everything.

Scott loved animals, wanted to help them, and going to college was his only real shot of becoming a vet. What would happen to his dream if he got kicked out?

"Stop worrying," Scott said quietly.

"Someone has to worry," Isaac muttered. "What about your future, Scott?"

"What about Liam's future?" Scott snapped. "Theo's? Mason's? Corey's? Nolan. Brett. Lori. Want me to keep going?"

"Liam can handle it," Isaac said. "He'd call otherwise."

"He called Derek, remember?" Scott pointed out. "Which means he needs help."

"Yeah, but we were already halfway to Beacon Hills when Stiles called us." He sighed again. "You've got to have some faith in the kid." He knew he was fighting a losing argument anyway. They were only about fifty miles out of Beacon Hills already. There was no way that Scott was gonna turn around now. Not when his packmates were nearby and in danger.

"It's Monroe and the Nemeton. It's way beyond anything any of us have ever faced before. And this is my pack, I have to be there to protect them. You know that Isaac. Why are you fighting me on this?"

"Because I'm worried, Scott. This town is a parasite, and its just gonna keep calling you back, and you're gonna come running every damn time. What kind of life is that?" Isaac argued. "You need to think about yourself, about what you wanna do with your life. Is this it for you? Is this all you have to look forward to? Running back home every time something happens? Putting your life on hold to protect one town?"

Scott growled in frustration, pulling into the laneway to the petrol station. He parked, getting out of the car and pacing for a minute. Isaac sat in his seat, watching him, sinking into his chair. He hated it when Scott was angry with him, but he really cared about the alpha. He wanted more for him than this. Allison would've wanted more for him than this.

Slowly, he got out of the car, closing the door behind him and approaching Scott. He kept his back to him, so Isaac folded himself around him, nuzzling into his neck.

"I don't want to fight," Isaac whispered.

"I know," Scott said quietly, leaning back against him. "I hear you, Isaac, I do. But this is my family. My pack. I'm an alpha, and that comes with responsibilities."

Isaac tightened his hold, looking past Scott to the road towards Beacon Hills. He knew all that, but he just had a really bad feeling about all this.

The crunch of gravel made them both stiffen, and Isaac sniffed the air, searching the night with his wolf senses. It smelled like decay, and blood, and rotting flesh. Isaac turned his head back towards the way they'd come as a huge figure came into view.

He slapped a hand around Scott's mouth, his other hand grabbing onto his shirt as he whirled them both around the petrol bowser and ducked down. Peering around it, they both watched as this thing stomped down the road, the bones on its clothes rattling.

"What is that thing?" Isaac breathed, his heart racing in his chest, still clutching at Scott's shirt.

If he was scared, then Scott was terrified. "Berserker," he croaked.

***

"I can't believe we are doing this," Nolan hissed, peering around the schools hallway corner.

"It's Liam's plan," Theo shot back, watching down the exit for anyone who might get in their way.

Liam's plan was essentially to corner the Calavera and rough him up a little, letting him know just who the acting Alpha was in these parts and that he would not be messed with.

They had all of the corridors covered, the Spanish club having just broken up for the night and the last of the students collecting belongings from lockers before leaving the school deserted. In his hand, Theo's phone vibrated, alerting him to the group chat where they listed their classmates as they left the building. It only took another second before Mason messaged from where he was set up in Natalie's office where he and Corey had hacked into the school's security system to doctor the footage, confirming that they were now alone in the school with a known hunter.

Theo winked at Nolan, flashing his eyes and taking off in a silent jog down the hallway, while Nolan followed along behind him. As they rounded the corner, they were joined by Brett and Lori, who had been covering the door that lead to the cafeteria and outdoor seating. As they passed the library Theo bristled. This whole school was so full of ghosts.

The hall outside of the Language classrooms was a mismatch of maps, flags and student work. Theo ran his hand over a French Flag while glaring at the door to the Spanish room.

He never cared much for Mexico anyway.

From the other end of the hallway, Liam and Lori stalked along the hall, crouching low to to avoid the windows. Behind him, Nolan was hot on his heels, his breath warm and all to close to Theo's ear as they paused outside of the door, Liam holding up three fingers as a countdown.

 _Three._ Theo noticed the sweat dripping from Liam's brow, his face tight with concentration.

 _Two._ Nolan gripped Theo's arm, his claws digging into the flesh.

 _One_. Liam clenched his hand into a fist and surged forward, throwing open the door to the classroom.

It was a flurry of smoke and flashing lights and the the highest pitched noise Theo had ever heard.

With a scream, Nolan flew forward, getting the hunter up against the chalkboard with a crack before a taser baton was thrust into his side.

Theo couldn't help but flinch at the way that Brett reacted.

It was like Brett grew a foot as he surged forward, knocking the taser from the hunter's hand and shoving him back against the chalkboard, roaring and gnashing his teeth in his face.

The Calavera fought with everything he had, getting a knee into Brett's stomach before using the momentum to push the wolf off of him.

Theo stood paralysed by the lights and the noise, only able to watch the scene play out in front of him. The hunter pulled a long, jagged hunting knife from his belt, swiping at Brett. Thankfully the wolf had recovered enough to be able to dodge the onslaught, snarling as he seemed bent on protecting Nolan's still body.

Next to him, Liam held his hands over his ears, completely wolfed out as he fought against the sensory overload.

Just when the hunter seemed to get the upper hand, the door to the classroom banged open, an almighty scream shattering the windows and sending the Calavera flying once again into the wall.

Lydia quickly moved around the room, shutting off the light and sound machines while her mother barked orders into her cell phone, her high heels on the linoleum floors a welcome change for Theo's ears.

It took a moment before the ringing to stop before Natalie's words made any meaning.

She was talking to Parrish.

Theo shook his head, clearing the last of the fog before he moved to help Brett maneuver the hunter into his desk chair, using the tape they had brought with them to secure him.

Lydia looked plain pissed off, as she pulled a tube of smelling salts from her pocket and sticking it under the hunter's nose, ripping his head back by the hair the moment that he stirred.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed. "What are you hunting?"

"As if you don't know," the hunter spat, "as if you kids didn't cause all of this."

Lydia continued to smack the hunter around, not getting anywhere. It wasn't until Parrish had arrived, the flashing lights of his squad car reflecting off the floor of smashed glass that the hunter grinned, showing off his bloody teeth.

" _La Zorra_ is coming back and we have questions why," he said, flicking his eyes towards Nolan, who was shakily getting to his feet. "We have an interest in what she knows."

***

"He didn't give much away," Parrish said, absentmindedly running his fingers through Lydia's long red hair as they sat on the couch in the loft. "Even in interrogation we couldn't make anything stick. Luckily for us Interpol had a warrant out so we only have to keep him in custody until tomorrow before he'll be extradited."

"Of course nothing will stick, the Calaveras are like Teflon," Lydia said, leaning back into Parrish as she nursed her cup of hot chocolate. "I just can't work out what exactly he was meant. _La Zorra._ Who is the whore?"

"I swear if Kate Argent comes back I will literally be the one to scream," Nolan huffed, his wounds now healed but refusing to come out the gap between the armchair and the wall where he wedged himself.

Liam thought through his meager Spanish, Lydia's translation not quite sitting right with him. He was about as proficient in Spanish as he was in Biology and after how paralysed he was when the hunter's light and sound trap went off, he was second guessing his every move.

Lost in thought, he glanced around the loft, his eyes locking on their bed, his mind drifting to another place.

The dream catcher.

The red threads were wrapped tightly around the splinters of the sword that had been used to send Theo to hell and then free him again. Made with his own hands, it had always felt magical to him, yet another tether tying them together. It was made with his own blood and tears and the literal red thread that connected them and the very weapon that had forged them.

That's when it hit him, like a literal bolt of lightning.

La Zorra.

Not the Whore.

The Vixen

Kira was coming back.


	43. Chapter 43

_Life in the desert was never a walk in the park._

 _It was a constant battle, the training, the rituals, the dehydration._

 _She was sure that the stench of animal blood would linger around her for the rest of her life._

 _But she and her fox were at peace._

 _Since her mother had all but sold her into the ranks of the Skinwalkers, Kira had made quick progress. She had found a strength and serenity inside herself that she had never expected to find. The other women had been walking the desert for longer than her mother had been alive, their blood magic fueling them._

 _Instead of finding them cold, Kira found their blunt honesty refreshing and she quickly grew used to their ways._

 _They saw straight through her teenage neuroses, pulling her apart and remaking her in their image. They baptised her in the sacrificial blood and dressed her in the skins of foxes. The pelts protecting her from the harshness of the environment, their softness comforting her on nights alone._

 _The power that once crackled around her now, scaring her in its intensity, hummed beneath her skin; thunder and lightning at her fingertips, obeying her will alone._

 _She was strong._

 _The pull towards a member of the pack, lost in the southernmost part of their territory, took her by surprise. The others didn't react when she left. Their indifference as good as their outright support._

 _Kira made her way across the desert, returning to La Iglesia_ _for the first time since they had rescued Scott._

 _The magic that gave the Berserkers strength was no match for her now. With little effort she fought them back until she could pull the she-wolf from the rubble, her scent one ringing of family and pack despite her injuries._

 _The dust cleared as they made their escape, only to be met with two familiar faces. The man gripping a Berserker's animal skull in his hand before throwing it to the side. He called to the girl, rushing forward to take her into his arms. The man's companion, a young woman, gaped at her._

 _It wasn't until she checked the fox, settling back into her humanity, that she recognised the pair. Peter Hale was hugging his niece, checking her injuries and muttering endearments and scent marking her like he hadn't been the main villain during his quest for power._

 _Kira sniffed, the scent of the girl coming back to her with images of grinding and sweaty bodies in a club in Mexico filling her mind._

 _Malia._

 _The werecoyote stared at her, the scent of her shock and pleasure clear to Kira now that her powers were in balance._

" _You're back," Malia whispered._

 _Kira nodded, opening her mouth to speak, and then closing it again, frowning. She hadn't spoken aloud in a long time._

 _She cleared her throat, some of who she used to be coming back to the forefront of her mind._

" _I am," she agreed in a croaky voice._

" _For good?"_

 _She shrugged. She hadn't planned this after all, had just come because she felt she was needed, and after Malia had relayed everything going on back home, it only felt natural that Kira would go back to Beacon Hills with them. It felt like a lifetime since she had seen her parents and somehow despite everything she didn't feel strong enough to escape the magnetism she felt towards the werecoyote._

 _They soon picked up Stiles and Derek, spending time they might not have really have had the luxury to spend reliving Hale family history._

 _Kira wasn't sure exactly what was waiting for them back in Beacon Hills._

 _But deep in her bones, she knew it wouldn't be good._

 _***_

"Scott," Isaac said quietly.

They'd waited until the Berserker was well and truly gone and then they'd gotten back into the car, doubling back a little to enter Beacon Hills from a different road. Neither of them were keen on running into the creature, but this road seemed no less fraught with peril.

"What is it?" Scott asked, glancing at Isaac and then back at the road.

"That car's been following us for awhile now," Isaac said. "It's a few cars back, the blue one."

Scott glanced in the rear view mirror. "How do you know?"

"When I was in France with Argent, he gave me lessons on this sort of thing. How to spot when you're being followed. These guys are good, but the signs are all there," Isaac explained. He looked at Scott, seriousness lacing his tone. "Believe me, they're definitely following us."

"So what do we do?" Scott asked nervously, fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

"I think we need backup," Isaac said. "We need to call Stiles."

Scott nodded, reaching into his pocket and taking out his phone, offering it to Isaac. "He should be just about in Beacon Hills by now. Call him."

Isaac took the phone from him, finding Stiles' number and ringing him. He put it straight onto speaker. Scott shot him a look. "You know I can hear it just fine without putting it on speaker, right?"

"I know," Isaac said, "I don't want the people following us to know we're calling for help. This way it just looks like we're talking."

"Unless they're also supernatural," Scott pointed out.

Isaac shrugged. "Then they'd already know we're onto them."

The call picked up. "Scotty?"

"Hey man," Scott said, keeping his eyes on the road. "We've hit a snag."

"What sort of snag?" He heard Derek ask.

Isaac felt his heart flip a little at the voice of his former alpha. "We're being followed," Isaac told them.

"Can you figure out who it is?" Derek asked, sounding concerned. Isaac rolled his eyes.

"Professionals. These guys know what they're doing."

"Hunters then," Stiles said grimly. "What do you think? More Calaveras?"

"Could be," Derek agreed. "Where are you Scott?"

"Almost into town," Scott replied, pausing at a red light. "We're off the highway. But there's something really not right about all this. We saw a Berserker on our way in as well."

In the background, they heard loud swearing.

"Is that Peter?" Scott asked.

"Yep," Stiles sighed. "He and Malia are back, and they brought a few friends back with them." He sounded excited, and Scott's eyebrows rose.

Isaac glanced at Scott. Malia had left with her father after their vacation, breaking up with Scott in the process. He knew that Scott had struggled with that a bit, thinking he'd driven her away. Isaac didn't really know her well enough to say whether or not that was true.

"Where should we meet?" Scott asked.

"We're about three hours away still, check in at the loft with Liam and then go to the old place," Derek suggested. "Out in the woods."

"Where it all began," Scott said with a soft smile.

"Yep," Stiles agreed. "If you can't lose the hunters, then you'll at least have back up and you won't be giving away any super secret location, the loft isn't exactly the bat cave."

"See you soon," Isaac said, before ending the call. He locked Scott's phone, watching the side of his face as he planted his foot down on the accelerator, the engine whining in defiance as he pulled off the highway, taking the overly complicated route into town through the suburbs, using every shortcut and scenic route he could think of until the headlights behind them disappeared.

"I want to see Liam," Scott said solemnly, staring out the front window. His eyes were distant, and Isaac glanced at him, taking in the pinched expression on his face. "I can feel how freaked out he is and I need to see him."  
"We can do that." Isaac said gently, placing his hand over Scott's on the gear stick and squeezing. "But that's not all, is it?"

Scott shook his head. "I'm really worried," he said quietly. "The Nemeton's gone quiet."

Isaac felt dread settle in his stomach. "You can't hear it anymore?"

Scott bit his lip, saying nothing. But that was answer enough.

***

Liam sighed, rubbing his temple. The town was overrun with hunters, his friends were wigging out and Mason kept disappearing into himself, playing with his new powers no matter how dangerous that seemed.

Corey was trying to distract him, setting up their old Wii and breaking out all the classic games. However when you have newly discovered Chimera powers, not even Sonic and Mario at the Olympics could hold Mason's attention for very long.

Theo was jittery, the altercation at the school and how he had been rendered so powerless had sent shock waves through him and left him a sullen mess. He started several tasks, opened and closed half a dozen books from their small shelf and threw the controller across the room after the first loss to Corey before finally throwing himself into bed, wrapping himself tightly in their sheets.

Nolan wouldn't get down from the top of the fridge, where he had squeezed between the appliances and the cabinetry, hissing and swiping whenever any 'stinky dogs' got too close. This caused Brett to lose his temper, leaving the apartment with a box of Derek's tools to go and 'work on the boiler' in the basement. With his sensitive hearing, Liam followed the werewolf all the way down to the very bottom floor of the building, staying with him until he started swearing and banging on the pipes.

Parrish had had to leave for a shift but Lydia had stuck around and quickly coerced Lori into the kitchen, filling any and all of the meager gaps in the freezer with new dishes.

It was a mess, and Liam felt helpless, looking from pack member to pack member, the string tangled in his fingers as he twirled it around and around, trying to figure out what to do. Until Scott and the others were back, there wasn't much.

Theo's angst took precedent, and he fought his way into Theo's blanket burrito, his wolf settling some as he was surrounded by their mingled scent and the sound of their pack around them, safe for the time being, if not exactly happy.

"I feel like all we do is panic and then hide under the blankets," Theo muttered when Liam was snug up against his back.

"Well it has been proven that blankets are the only sure fire way to protect from baddies," Liam replied, hiding his small smile in Theo's neck as the rest of the pack groaned.

Ignoring them Theo huffed a laugh. "Well that settles it, we just need to come at the hunters wrapped in our blankets."

"Dumb dogs," Nolan hissed, Liam could see him from where they lay, still on top of the fridge while he swiped at the sheer curtains hanging over the kitchen windows, a sick smile forming on his face when they caught on his clawed finger, creating an ugly run in the fabric. "Blankets are for babies."

"Yesterday you loved all of the blankets," Lori said, using a tea towel to flick at Nolan and get him away from the curtains. "You literally made a nest out of all the clean ones when we did laundry."

"Obviously because _they_ were warm and so snuggly," Nolan said snidely, reaching back out for the curtains once Lori turned her back, this time earning a smack from Lydia with a handy fly swat. This finally made Nolan move, only to quickly bounce across the room in the most passive aggressive game of 'the floor is lava' until he was perched on top of the dresser under the big window, sending a (thankfully unlit) candle crashing down to the ground as he suddenly focused on a bird outside.

Brett crashed back through the room, dropping the bag of tools by the door as he stalked through the room, making an angry beeline for the shower. Nolan cocked his head to the side as Brett closed the bathroom door, bouncing across the room once again at the sound of the door locking.

Liam couldn't help but to relax when Theo began to laugh as Nolan pawed at the door, making all kinds of noise until Brett let him in.

It took a moment before he realised that the relaxation was also to do with the rumble of the jeep and the screeching of brakes. Liam fought tooth and nail to free himself from the sudden prison of the sheets, practically wolfing out as he rushed to meet his Alpha.

He crashed into Scott around the fifth floor, tears he didn't realise he was shedding running down his face.

"Liam, it's okay," Scott said, his own voice thick with emotion as he wiped roughly at Liam's face. "I'm here now, buddy."

Liam could only whine, still clutching at his Alpha, letting him take the pain and worry that had been eating him up alive since this whole thing had started.

Isaac appeared over Scott's shoulder, rolling his eyes and adjusting his scarf.

"Liam," he said in acknowledgment, pushing passed Scott with both of their bags, heading straight for the loft.

Liam and Scott took another moment, basking in the bond of Alpha and first turned beta. Liam couldn't believe the relief that he was feeling, like the entire world had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Back in the apartment, Isaac was smiling, seemingly content to be back in the loft. He had an arm wrapped around Lydia as he exchanged pleasantries with the others; Nolan and Brett now fresh from their shower and Theo free from his tangle of blankets.

Lydia and Lori played mother hen, finding an inflatable mattress and sheets in a closet and forcing food on everyone while Scott filled everyone in on what he knew.

Liam didn't miss the way that Theo paled when Scott told them about Kira.

They had barely settled onto the couch after dinner, all nursing cups of hot chocolate prepared by Lydia, still hell bent on mothering the entire pack, when Scott's phone lit up with Stiles' smiling face.

The conversation between Alpha and Spark was clipped and full of short hand, even Liam finding it hard to follow, despite the pair practically having raised him.

"They're in town," Scott explained when he hung up. "We were going to meet at the Hale House, but apparently Derek and Peter cant find something and have to go check the Vault at the School, They are going to meet Kira's parents there but Stiles needs me to meet him in the woods, uh, apparently he has some dendrology concerns. We're gonna check it out and then meet up all back here."

Liam nodded, but all the while, Theo looked around, a mix of skepticism and panic changing his features. He could feel it through their bond, and despite sending as much calmness and love as he could through their bond, it wasn't even making a dent in his increasing hysteria. He needed to get away.

"If you need to, talk to Scott," Liam said quietly, placing his hand on Theo's knee, wanting the same peace for Theo that had washed over Liam since Scott had arrived.

"Is that- I wouldn't want to intrude?" Theo said slowly, his worry of rejection plain on his face.

"Theo can come," Scott said after a moment. "We need to go now though. Don't wait up." He dropped a quick kiss on Liam's forehead before giving Isaac a filthy, lingering kiss on the lips.

Liam watched them go, dread setting back in as soon as the door closed behind them. He didn't really relish seeing Kira again either. He'd placed the dream catcher back under their bed, and in his mind it beat like the tell-tale heart, flooding him with guilt. He wasn't sorry he did it, and there was no taking it back even if he did. But surely Kira would feel it the second she stepped inside, and he had no idea how she would react.

***

Theo couldn't lie, there was no way that he was ready to face Kira.

The mere mention of her name made him feel as though he was being plunged back through the earth, back to the nothingness that had eaten him up inside. For the first time in a while, Theo had had to anchor himself with the string that bound he and Liam together, using it to hold himself to reality and to draw strength from his mate.

He had noped out of the apartment quick as a flash, grateful that Scott was willing to take him with.

No matter how frosty his relationship with Stiles was, he would do anything to prolong seeing the kitsune.

So here he was, sitting in the back of the jeep while Scott and Stiles hissed at each other in the glow of the headlights.

As Stiles continued to rant at Scott, his arms raising along with his voice, Theo pretended that he couldn't hear every word they were saying.

It was still better than his stint in hell.

Before he could settle back into the seat and drown them out, Stiles was pulling the door open,

"Right, Raeken. You are a bonafide member of the dream team, and its time to go."

Theo grunted, pulling himself from the Jeep and straightening his hoodie.

" _The Dream Team_ , right." Theo rolled his eyes. "So what is the deal with the tree?"

"You told him?" Stiles hissed again, turning on Scott.

"Dendrology is the study of trees. You guys are useless at coming up with codes," Theo scoffed, moving towards the clearing, ignoring the look that Scott and Stiles shared.

Theo trudged through the undergrowth, following a path he had often run in in his wolf form, letting his senses lead the way.

Since the tree had awoken, it had sprouted new life, new shoots forming thick over the base of the tree. The place had always been strange when he had been a chimera, unable to truly connect or comprehend with the Nemeton. Now as a werewolf he could practically feel the vibration of its power drawing him in, so similar to that of the red string that bound him to his mate.  
"We're checking the root cellar," Stiles said, hesitant. "Apparently this is where Derek thought was the best place to hide the rest of the yellow wolfsbane and I just can't deal with it just being out here with so many hunters around.

The moment that he stepped foot into the clearing, lights lit up the forest, scaring birds and if he was really honest, Theo too.

Before he could act on that fear, a sharp pain jabbed his neck. Turning, he saw Scott pull a blow dart from his shoulder, Stiles already crumpled in a heap, his hand dug into his shoulder holster.

Theo could only gape at Scott, mouthing words that wouldn't come.

And then the blackness came.


	44. Chapter 44

_Destruction had always surrounded her._

 _Since waking up in the Calavera's stronghold, the magic surging through her veins had made her strong again; her body knitting back together in a new and completely unnatural way._

 _All of the teachings from her father, the pure hatred that had led her to play Derek for a fool and burn the Hale house to the ground, killing all those inside still burned in her chest. That same hatred that had led to her catching Derek once again, stringing him up in a show of strength to educate her young niece._

 _Hatred that led to her death._

 _And her rebirth._

 _The Berserkers had come to her, like children coming when their mother had called, leading her away from her capturers and to La Iglasia. The bone people had helped her, nurtured her into something bigger than she'd ever been._

 _She was destined for greatness._

 _Then the first full moon after her rebirth, she'd felt the call. The bone people had let her pass, though their eyes lingered on her, but she barely noticed them._

 _Fuelled by something inside her, something animal, She'd slipped from the temple, moving across the desert and into town. Her mark had been easy to find; young, brown eyes, easily led away from his friends with a bat of her eyelashes and a secret smile._

 _The boy was easy enough, driving them back out into the desert and following her whispered directions to the church, hand slipping high on his leg. Ignorant to the danger he was in, he followed her into the chapel._

 _The existing berserkers stood back, seeming in awe as she followed instinct, knocking the boy down and straddling him as she strapped him to the altar. Stripping him down, she bathed him in oils before redressing him in furs and bones. He cried and struggled, the light of the candles flaring as she picked up the skull, showing the Berserkers for the first time._

 _Placing the skull over his face, Kate hummed as power surged under her skin. The boy's eyes snapped open, the deep brown dull and lifeless as he stood slowly from the altar, bathed in moonlight as he joined the others._

 _Born from chaos and destruction; she was changed;_

 _She was Tezcatlipoca; The Jaguar God. She was La Loba; the bone woman._

 _She was no longer built for destruction; but creation as well._

 _Looking down at her claws through her new eyes, she thought back to a time when she had asked her brother if a scratch could turn someone._

 _And she wondered what else she could create._

Liam watched warily from the door to the balcony. Derek and the others had finally arrived and Derek was furious to find Stiles, Scott and Theo missing. Liam had told him they'd just gone out to the preserve but truth be told he was starting to get worried. None of them were answering their phones and even through the string he was getting nothing.

It was as if Theo was unconscious, and the only thing stopping him from running out of the loft to find them was the fact that he didn't like the way Peter was eyeing off Nolan and Brett.

There was something in his gaze that was decidedly unfriendly as he looked at Nolan, and well, he looked at Brett like he wanted to possess him. It was, quite frankly, disturbing. He couldn't leave while his pack was under threat.

There was also the fact that Mason was acting strangely. He couldn't settle for longer than a few minutes, pacing the floor, hands rubbing up and down his own arms as if he was cold. Corey was watching him from the couch with a worried expression on his face, completely oblivious to everyone else. They both looked exhausted, and it scared him.

And then Nolan, who seemed to revert back to the jag's instincts whenever he was stressed, kept trying to find smaller, darker spaces to crawl inside of. He'd almost given Liam a heart attack earlier when he'd gone to the kitchen and heard him hiss from inside the pantry. Brett was done trying to calm him down, instead just doing his best to keep Nolan in his sights while also glaring at Peter and Derek.

His pack was falling apart in front of his eyes.

Added to that was Kira. She hadn't said anything, just placing herself against a wall and observing everything around her. It made him nervous, having her here only a few metres away from the dreamcatcher that he'd smuggled into the loft. He kept thinking that she could sense it. He hated having her there. She'd taken Theo and sent him to hell, something that still deeply affected the werewolf to this day, and he knew that Theo was terrified of her. But him? He was just angry.

She sensed his eyes on her and looked up. Liam was struck by the coldness to her gaze. It really was like she was a different person. He couldn't see the awkward fumbling teenage girl in her at all anymore. It made it far easier to hate her.

Derek drew his attention as he stood up from where he'd been sitting at the table, stalking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Liam asked before he reached it.

"I'm going to find them," Derek said, barely glancing back at him.

Frustration filled him, followed by anger. He caught at the string, tangling it through his fingers as he tried to calm down.

"No," he said quietly but firmly, releasing a tension filled breath as Derek stilled.

The former alpha turned, eyes glowing gold. "What makes you think you have any right to tell me what to do?" He asked, giving him a menacing stare.

It reminded Liam of when he'd first been bitten, when Scott had brought Derek into the locker room and he'd hefted Liam up by the throat, examining him. He'd been terrified of him then, but Liam had lived through a lot worse than a grumpy older wolf threatening him.

"You're not in charge here," Liam informed him coolly. His fingers were almost turning numb from how tightly they were wrapped in string, but it was helping to keep him grounded. He felt the barest stirring of consciousness from Theo and used that to anchor his anger.

Derek scoffed. "And you think you are?"

His wolf bristled at the threat to his leadership but Liam let it go. Derek was just scared. "I am," he said instead. "And we're all staying here for now. Theo and the others will be back soon."

"You can't know that," Derek said, but some of the aggression was leeching from his face, leaving just a hint of fear. That Liam could understand. Having Theo away from him in such dangerous times pained him, but he trusted that his mate would come back to him.

"Stiles will be fine," Liam said. "He can look after himself. Besides, we have bigger problems right now."

Surprisingly, it was Peter who piped up in support. "He's right. The hunter takes precedence."

"Hunters," Liam said. Peter shot him a look, but Liam just shrugged dismissively. "There's more than one. There's the Calaveras and whatever the hell they want. They seemed to be after Brett."

Peter scoffed. All eyes fell to him.

"They don't want Brett," he said scornfully. "They want him." He looked up to where Nolan had somehow managed to crawl into the ducting of the roof. Only the glowing green of his eyes could be seen.

"Nolan?" Liam asked, eyes narrowed. More than any of the others, Liam felt responsible for Nolan. Any danger to him had him immediately on edge. "Why?"

"The werejaguar, turned by Kate Argent," Cora said from the doorway. "Of course they're interested in him. He's an unknown, and they hate unknowns. Kate was far more powerful than she had any right to be, and they're terrified of him getting hold of the talisman."

"What talisman?" Brett asked, bristling.

"Easy," Liam whispered.

He looked to Peter, arching an eyebrow at him. The older man sighed, pulling a small, clear container from his pocket, holding it up. "Kate's claws," he said. "It could give him visions of her grand purpose, whatever that was, maybe hints as to how she controlled the Berserkers or made Derek evolve."

Something about this whole thing, the way the information was being stepped out for them, seemed too perfect. "Is it them who wants that information?" Liam asked suspiciously, looking between Derek, Peter and Cora. "Or you?"

The blank stares were telling.

Brett laughed. It was a cynical, dry laugh. "Classic. This is so typical. I almost thought you'd turned up because you wanted me, but clearly not. You can all stay the fuck away from me, and from Nolan. Not a single one of you is going to touch him, because if you try, I will kill you where you stand."

The whole time, his eyes were a cold, silver blue, not a hint of fang seen. The threat was clear. He was in control. He would hunt them down and execute them, and he wouldn't need his wolf to do it.

Liam thoroughly approved.

"We're getting off track," Peter pointed out, clearly deflecting. "What about Monroe?"

"Yeah, what does Monroe want?" Malia asked. Liam glanced at her. She was sitting leaning against the wall by Kira's feet, surprisingly docile. Liam still had no idea how she fit into the pack now. She wasn't Scott's mate, so his wolf no longer felt like it needed to defer to her, and she also hated Theo, which made her a threat. This many threats in the one place made him feel restless. He didn't like that he had no idea what to expect from them.

"She wants to kill all supernaturals," Mason croaked.

"Bring it on," Peter said silkily. "I'll slit her throat long before she can fire off a single bullet."

Mason shook his head. "She's done with guns," he said cryptically.

"What does that mean?" Derek asked, brow furrowed as he stalked towards Mason. Liam, already tense, bristled at the threat to his best friend, stepping forwards to stop him.

"I don't know," Mason whispered, the certainty draining from his face and leaving him looking lost and confused.

In protecting Mason from Derek, Liam had forgotten to watch Peter.

Derek grabbed his arms, locking him in place as Peter swooped in behind Mason. "Let's find out, shall we?" The former alpha crooned.

"No!" Corey yelled, diving forwards to stop him, but Peter already had his claws embedded in the back of Mason's neck, both of them going rigid as Mason's eyes flew open, staring unseeingly in front of him.

Liam felt a wave of dizziness and he quickly lowered himself to the floor, sliding out of a surprised Derek's grip. Just in time, too. He was sucked into the darkness.

The world swam in sickening greens and yellows and reds, making Liam feel like he was on on a rollercoaster after eating three big hot dogs and drinking a large chocolate milkshake. His stomach roiled, threatening to empty at a moment's notice, sitting in his throat and choking him.

The loud buzzing whine that filled his head began to sound like words, and he focused on them instead of his stomach, trying to distract himself.

"-really want to get rid of all of them," a nasally voice said. Liam stilled. He knew that voice. But Gerard was dead… wasn't he? "Then you need the Nemeton."

"A tree stump?" Monroe responded scornfully. "What's the use of that old thing? We should be sourcing more guns, convincing more people to join our cause."

A room slowly started to come into focus. Liam looked around, but it was dark, the edges of the room blurry. He thought it could be the armoury, but Argent had emptied the entire warehouse and sold the property to Costco. He'd made a pretty penny from it, too. The armoury didn't exist anymore.

He tuned back in as Gerard continued talking. A dead man in a room that didn't exist anymore. "I wouldn't dismiss it so quickly," he drawled, eyes cold even as an amused smirk danced on his lips. "It calls to them, why do you think they call this place Beacon Hills? There will always be supernatural creatures in this town, as long as the tree stands."

Understanding dawned in Monroe's eyes. "Kill the tree, kill the monsters," she said, leaning back in her chair, mind clearly racing. Liam's heart was racing as well, panic making his hands shake. "How?" She asked eagerly.

The room vanished, and Liam stumbled as the world slipped out from under his feet with a sickening lurch.

Just as suddenly, they were in the Preserve. Gerard was gone, leaving only Monroe.

"Why isn't it working?" She spat, kicking at the Nemeton and then cursing again as she stumbled, limping slightly.

Liam shuddered as he moved closer. He'd only seen the Nemeton once; when Hayden had been brought back to life by Theo. It had been surrounded by the bodies of the dead chimeras, the scent of death heavy in the air.

There was no sign of them now. What drew his eye, instead, were the runic letters carved around the edge of the stump in deep grooves.

Foreboding made him stumble back, his mind reeling. What the fuck was she doing?

Behind them, a stick snapped, and they both whirled. Liam stared at Lydia, heart dropping to his feet.

Monroe laughed. And Lydia screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

Liam woke to yelling. His eyes were open, but it took a few moments for him to realise what he was seeing. Theo, snarling, Mason on the ground behind him, not moving. Kira with a knife pointed at him, Stiles with a gun trained on her, and everyone yelling over the top of them all.

He staggered to his feet, but his head swam, leaving him swaying, the world coming in and out of focus.

Pack, his wolf whined, danger.

The yelling grew louder but also more distant, the edges of his vision turning black again.

"Liam?"

He wasn't sure who the voice belonged to, but suddenly there was an arm wrapped around him, holding him up. He leaned into them, angered by how weak he was. Liam closed his eyes, trying to take a deep, steadying breath, trying to open his mouth to tell them all to stop.

Scott's foot scuffed as he stepped inside the open doorway, his voice ringing with power.

"Enough."

Relief flooded him as the room fell instantly silent.

"Scott-" Malia began, but grunted as someone elbowed her in the side.

Liam opened his eyes, finding the alpha red eyes focused on him.

"What happened here?"

"Ask him," the person holding him said. Liam glanced up, surprised to find Brett. He followed his gaze to Peter, who was leaning against the wall, looking pale, his claws dripping with blood. Mason's blood.

Liam snarled and lunged.

"You bastard," he growled, only just being held back by Brett. "You knew that Mason was weak and you fucking did it anyway."

"It was necessary," Peter said, his tone even, like it was an accepted fact.

If Liam wasn't already so dizzy, Peter's throat would be slashed open, his life blood seeping into the floorboards. His eyes widened as he seemed to realise this fact.

"Watch your back," Liam told him, suddenly calm, brushing Brett's arm away. "Because god knows I won't be anymore, Hale."

It was a good reminder of Peter's position in the pack, and the omega flinched back, shrinking against the wall.

Scott shot him a quelling look but didn't interfere, Peter had been on the fringe for years, clinging to relevance through his family connections.

All eyes then turned to Kira. Stiles' gun hadn't wavered once, pointing directly at her temple. Her knife, still, was held to Theo's throat. Despite the clear and obvious threat to her life, Kira's eyes burned with righteousness.

Liam should have killed her the second she crossed the threshold.

"Kira," Scott said firmly. "Drop the knife."

"How did you get out?" She said, ignoring Scott entirely, studying Theo's face. "It should have been impossible."

"Your sword," Theo said with a sneer, chin tilted up. His face was a cold mask, virtually unrecognisable. Liam brushed the string, offering strength and compassion. He felt Theo's acknowledgement, a vibration along the string as he plucked it.

If she laid a single finger on Theo, she would not be leaving the room alive.

"Where is it?" She asked. But her question was not directed at Theo, but at Scott, who was moving towards her.

"It's broken," Scott told her.

"It can be fixed," she said dismissively.

"In the interest of complete honesty," Liam said reluctantly, "it definitely can't be fixed."

"I wasn't talking about my sword," Kira said, her fox eyes locked back on Theo.

Liam felt Theo's immediate panic, but Stiles got to him first, sliding in front of him, placing himself between the chimera and the fox. "No," Stiles said firmly, chin raised in defiance. "He's not going back." His gun was now pointed between her eyes, and her knife slowly dropped."Stiles," Derek started, glaring and folding his arms over his puffed out chest, clearly confused and annoyed.

"Shut it worry-wolf," Stiles said, watching Kira, his gaze unwavering. "He's not going back," he repeated.

Liam moved to stand beside him, as did Brett, and Lori, and Corey, who had Mason leaning heavily into his side. Liam was relieved to see him upright.

Even Nolan dropped down from the roof, slinking between them to stand next to Brett. Peter watched him with a hungry expression on his face. Brett growled.

"We've seen Civil War." Stiles said, looking directly at Scott. "Please don't pull an Iron Man, here dude. We need to keep the team together."

"There are bigger threats here, Kira." Scott said slowly, as if he was still processing the whole situation. "You need to go and cool off. Go to my house, the key is where it always is."

"You all need to leave," Nolan hissed from behind Brett. "Just get out."

Scott's expression was pained. "Things sure have changed around here," he said, looking at Liam with soft eyes. "War makes even the closest friends question everything. Guys- just go to my house." He said, waving his arm at the pack members still standing behind him.

Liam stood in place, watching as they left the flat one by one. Peter's reluctance was obvious. His hand, the one not dripping Mason's blood on the floor, still clutched the glass jar to his chest. Liam narrowed his eyes, and Peter held his gaze as he placed it on the coffee table.

It was a clear peace offering, but Liam didn't trust it for a second. Didn't trust Peter as far as he could throw him.

Some of the tension left his shoulders as Peter walked out, and Liam stepped away from Brett, giving him a nod that the born wolf returned. Considering their history, it was nice to know that Brett had his back when it counted.

"You're kicking me out of my own flat," Derek pointed out, dryly, drawing Liam's attention. He remembered a time when Derek had helped him try and learn control, how he'd been around when times were crazy.

How he'd died for the pack.

"You gave it to them," Stiles reminded him, his voice lighter as he watched Kira leave before offering Derek his hand.

"Technically," he smiled, "I gave it to Melissa."

Stiles nudged him in the side. "And Melissa gave it to them. Are you going to take away their last safe haven, Derek?"

"I would never," Derek said, looking over the remaining pack members. "We have to stick together with what's coming."

"Can you feel it too?" Scott asked. The room was calmer now.

"It's everywhere. The imbalance," Derek said, looking around the loft and smiling at the sheets on the bed, still rumpled from the night before.

"So what are we going to do?" Liam asked, taking Theo's hand when it was offered and pressing it to his lips.

"I still don't know," Scott said, his voice low but steady, "but whatever it is we'll have to face it together."


	45. Chapter 45

_Liam sat outside the principal's office, feet swinging and hating himself. His legs were too short to touch the ground, and the chair underneath him was hard, making him constantly squirm as he tried to get comfortable. Liam with his IED, in trouble once again._

 _He gave a deep sigh, drawing another irritated glance from the principal's secretary, an intimidating woman with tight blonde curls and a sneer that never ceased to send a shiver of foreboding down his spine. She terrified him, and he shrunk down, making himself smaller until her eagle-eyed gaze slid back to the computer she was rapidly typing on._

 _The door finally opened, and his mother stepped through, ushered out by Principal Williams. He was an older man, thin with a reassuring voice. Well, normally it was reassuring. At the moment it sounded resigned._

" _Thank you again for coming in, Mrs Geyer," he said, shaking her hand._

" _I'm sorry that this happened," she sighed._

" _Boys will be boys," he replied, glancing at Liam and giving him a tight smile. His returning one was a bit wobbly. His mum looked sad. He hated when she looked sad. It made him feel restless, his fingers tingling with nervous energy._

 _She'd been sad this morning, talking on the phone to his dad about his next play date. His dad had yelled at her, and her face had gone tight. Liam had lowered his spoon from his mouth as he watched her, letting it plop down into his bowl of cereal. She'd hung up not long after, giving him a bright smile that never reached her eyes._

 _The restlessness had stayed with him all day. Then something had happened at lunch. He didn't quite remember it, but his knuckles were red and aching, and as he trailed after his mum, pausing at the door to his classroom, the glares of his classmates made him shrink further._

" _Come on Liam," she said gently._

 _He'd always been smaller than the other boys in his year, but now he felt about one inch tall._

 _It was the weekend, and by Monday he'd almost forgotten it, but his classmates had not._

 _There was a group of them on the playground and as one they turned, their eyes cold._

" _We don't want to be your friend anymore," the ringleader said. He and Sam had been friends since the first day, when he'd picked him first for Soccer at recess._

" _Why not?" He scoffed, all bravado, fingers tightening into fists._

" _You hit Adrian," Sam said, glaring at him. "You're a bully."_

" _I'm not," he insisted, seeking out Adrian, hiding behind Sam, eyes wary, one blackened. "I didn't mean to."_

" _Go away," Adrian said in a shaky voice. "Bully."_

" _Bully," they jeered, chanting it, until Sam shoved him away and he hit the asphalt, lower lip trembling._

" _Hey, leave him alone," another boy yelled, running over. He was from the other class, with dark skin and short, fuzzy looking black curls. Liam stared up at his back, mouth dropping open._

" _Whatever," Sam said, and the boys turned and stalked off to the swings._

 _As soon as they were gone, the boy turned, holding a hand out to him. His eyes were kind._

" _I'm Mason," he said, smiling at him._

 _He beamed, accepting his hand._

" _Liam."_

***

As soon as the door shut behind Scott, Liam went straight to Mason, helping Corey lower him to the couch. He knelt down in front of him.

"Mase, speak to me," Liam said urgently.

"I'm okay," Mason whispered.

Liam looked at him, really looked. The bags under his eyes were deep and almost bruised, and he looked so much thinner. His friend was wasting away right in front of his eyes and he had no idea how to help.

Closing his eyes, he took Mason's hand in his and thought back to the first time they'd met.

Mason squeezed his hand. "I remember it too," he breathed.

Liam looked up at him, he looked a bit better, a bit brighter.

"Does it help?" He asked, eyes widening. "Thinking about the good times?"

His best friend nodded, offering him a small smile. "Yeah, the Satori thrives on positive emotions."

Guilt flared in his chest. He was the one who had dragged Mason in to all this. If Mason hadn't taken his hand and helped him all those years ago, then he never would have been in this position, never would have been fighting for his life. "All the drama can't be helping then."

Mason shrugged. Even on the brink of death, his determination shone through. His gaze was clear, not a hint of regret to be seen. "I know what your thinking and without you Liam, we might never have figured out that I was the beast. More people would have died, I might have died." He sighed, and Corey pulled him in closer, arm wrapped around his shoulders. "I'd still be a chimera, remember. So you can spare yourself the guilt trip."

"Mase, I think you should sit this one out."

"No-"

Liam held a hand up, stopping him. He was determined. He wasn't going to lose his best friend, not for anything. "No, Mason," he said firmly. "I mean it; if I couldn't protect you from the Dread Doctors, then I can protect you here, Okay?"

Mason studied him and then slowly nodded, his shoulders sinking. "Okay," he whispered.

The relief sunk into his bones. Monroe wouldn't be taking his best friend, not today.

He glanced at Corey. "You'll look after him, yeah?"

"You know I will," Corey said. They'd had their differences in the past, but they both respected their positions in Mason's life. Seeing the same relief in Corey's eyes that he knew was mirrored in his own, he knew he'd made the right call.

He stood up, turning to look at Theo. Liam had pushed aside his worry for his mate in the wake of everything else that had been happening, but as soon as he met eyes with Theo, his face crumpled.

Theo held his arms open and Liam fell into them.

"What happened?" He whispered into Theo's neck.

Theo tightened his arms around him. Liam nuzzled closer, feeling how fast Theo's heart was still racing, the last few wisps of fear still dissipating. His mate took a shaky breath before he spoke. "There's hunters protecting the Nemeton. They caught us by surprise but we managed to get out. But, whatever Monroe is up to, it centres around it."

"She carved runes into it," Liam said, slowly pulling away, Theo's love and comfort steeling his strength. Just holding him for a moment hadn't been enough for his wolf to truly settle, but his mate was here, he was safe. Now there was a bigger threat to deal with, he couldn't afford any more time.

"We need Deaton," Mason whispered. "He knows runes. I think I can remember them well enough to draw them."

"I can take him to Deaton," Corey suggested. "That's one way to keep us out of the line of fire. We can figure out what the runes are for while you guys try and stop Monroe."

"Sounds like a plan," Liam agreed. He steeled his shoulders. They had the beginnings of a plan. They could do this.

He glanced over at Brett, who had Nolan pressed against his chest, wrapped around him. Nolan still smelled scared and angry, fur still evident at the nape of his neck.

Liam met Brett's concerned gaze. "Is he okay?" He asked.

Brett shrugged. "Too much excitement. He can't keep his control with all of this going on. He's never had to."

Walking forward, he gently touched Nolan's shoulder. Nolan had called Liam his anchor, maybe it would help.

Sure enough, Nolan shuddered, the fur receding.

"I'm sorry," Nolan whispered, sounding exhausted.

"Don't be," Liam said. "We've all been there. Did I tell you about the time I ran through the preserve naked on the full moon?"

Nolan cracked a smile. "I'm not sure, tell me again?"

"I'd like to hear this as well," Theo snickered.

Liam grinned. This right here, this was what he was trying to save. They were slowly starting to mesh together as a pack, as friends.

"Maybe another time," he said, squeezing Nolan's shoulder.

The younger boy looked at him, his eyes sad. "I'll hold you to that," he said quietly.

Liam nodded. The only person left now was Lori, who had wedged herself into the far corner of the room, making herself as small as possible so as not to draw any attention to herself. It had worked. Nearly everyone had forgotten she was there.

He walked over to her, holding a hand out. "Lori, you alright?"

She nodded, though her face was tight. Liam felt a twinge of sympathy. She'd lost her pack, been threatened by hunters, been shot at and forced to flee her home, found her long lost family and before that could even be explored, now this. Liam wanted to send her on a long vacation.

"We're about to fight," he told her as she stood in front of him. He turned her arm over, tracing a finger over the stacked stone tattoo on her inner wrist. "I don't think that's what you want," he said gently.

She looked down at her tattoo, eyes swimming with tears. "Satomi didn't want to fight," she whispered. "Look where it got her."

"Tierney and Zhiang did," was his counterpoint. "Look what happened to them."

"True," she conceded. "What should I do?"

Her eyes were full of naked trust. She believed in him, and it made him really stop and consider her question.

"I won't force you to fight," he said eventually. "If your heart isn't in it, the hunters will take advantage of it. But there is something that you can do for me."

Lori tilted her head slightly, waiting.

"You can go with Mason, you can help to protect him and Corey and Deaton," he said. "It's not taking the cowards way out. It's important. We need to find out what these runes are for, and the more time we can buy them, the better."

She considered this, eyes flicking around the room as she looked at each member of their smaller pack.

"Okay," she said, looking back at him. "I'll do it."

"Thank you," he said, feeling another burden ease from his shoulders. It was selfish, but his reasoning was two fold; Between Lori and Corey, they should be able to keep Mason safe, but also if Laurie was on the battlefield, there was no way Brett would be able to fully concentrate on what he was doing. He would already be stretching himself thin trying to protect Nolan; Liam would hate for him to have to make the decision mid fight to choose between his sister and his mate.

Now, she went to sit beside them, Brett making room for his sister to cuddle in close as Liam turned and faced them all.

"We need to split up," he said, looking at his pack. "Brett, I think you should take Nolan and figure out the Kate and Berserker angle. The Calaveras are here for a reason, and I don't think it has anything to do with Monroe. I don't like the idea of them turning our backs on them until after this is over."

Brett nodded. "I'll take out some cash, book into a hotel or something."

"Perfect, just keep your phone on you," Liam agreed.

"Mase, obviously you guys are going to the Animal Clinic," he stated. "We need to know what Monroe's really up to and what those runes are capable of." Mason nodded wearily, locking eyes with Corey.

"And us?" Theo prompted.

"We'll join up with the others," Liam said, looking at his mate, heart twisting at the danger he'd soon be in. "We're going after Monroe."

***

With the team scattered to the wind, Liam climbed into the passenger seat of Theo's truck, watching his friends leave.

"You'll see them again," Theo said quietly, his knuckles white on the steering wheel contradicting the calm in his voice.

"Yeah, I will," he said, smiling at his mate. "We've got this."

They were both quiet as they drove to Scott's place. All of their cars were piled out the front, and they parked behind the jeep, getting out and letting themselves in through the front door. Liam kept Theo behind him, just in case.

The pack was standing around in the kitchen, cops of coffee a plenty and a big map of Beacon Hills spread out across the kitchen table

Liam looked straight to Scott, ignoring the mixed scents that swirled through the room. He didn't care what anyone thought of Theo as long as they left him alone.

"I sent Mason to Deaton," he told him. "Monroe has been messing around with the Nemeton."

"We figured that much out already," Stiles said, sounding exasperated.

"Yeah well, in the vision I had," Liam paused to shoot a glare at Derek, Peter was nowhere to be seen, "I saw Monroe carving runes into the Nemeton."

"Why did you see it when no one else did?" Derek asked. His eyebrows drew together, and Liam stiffened at the doubt in his voice. "We all just blacked out."

Liam fought back the urge to unleash his claws, taking a fortifying breath. Beside him, Theo radiated calm. "Mason must have brought me with him. In any case, it didn't look good. It was something that Gerard taught her."

Derek bristled. "Even when he's dead, we can't escape him," he snapped. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I'll call Chris, see if he knows anything."

"Tell him to pass anything he can on to Deaton," Liam said as the former alpha turned to go. "Hopefully they'll be able to figure it out if they work together."

Derek nodded shortly, giving him a considering look before leaving the room. When Liam looked at Scott, he was smiling.

"What?" He asked.

"Look at you," Scott said affectionately, "being a leader."

Liam flushed, ducking his head. He felt pride through his bond with the alpha and squirmed a little. He might pretend to be too tough to care, but Scott's approval was important to him. He might be building his own pack now, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't always be Scott's beta.

"I guess," he muttered. "But now we need to figure out what to do with Monroe."

"What about the Calaveras?" Cora asked. She was sitting on one of the kitchen counters, examining her nails, looking cool and composed and disdainful.

"They're not interfering for the moment, and they're not attacking anyone," Theo pointed out. Cora shot him a look, but Theo just stared her down. She looked away first. Liam tried not to feel triumphant at that. The tension in the room was already at boiling point.

"You know Araya has an agenda," Stiles said quietly to Scott. "I don't know if we can afford to ignore her."

"What do you suggest then?" Scott asked. He was frowning, his arms crossed in front of his chest, no doubt remembering their last encounter with the hunter. "Meet with her and find out what she wants?"

"Cause that went so well last time," Malia scoffed.

Scott shot her a quelling look. She just gave him a stony look, refusing to back down.

"Not you, no," Stiles said, holding a hand up towards Malia, making her step back. "I think you should ask your dad to handle it."

The alpha sighed. "Seriously?" Malia huffed a laugh, leaning back against the counter and giving Scott an amused look.

"He's on his way here anyway," Stiles pointed out. "We've been investigating Monroe, tracking down what she's up to. He thinks she's messing around with the occult. Considering our new information, I think he's right."

Scott nodded slowly, brow furrowed in thought. He glanced at Liam, who shrugged. Scott had way more experience at this than him, and this was life or death. The hunters had already tried to kill Brett and Lori, again, and Nolan as well. A wrong decision here could mean losing one of his friends.

His hand tightened on the red string until it cut into his skin, leaving white marks. He felt Theo shoot him a concerned look and he quashed down that rising feeling of foreboding that had been lingering since Lydia had first appeared in the loft.

There were so many threats. He didn't know which way to turn. Either way, he was putting his back to one threat to fight off another. How would they know if they were making the right choice?

"I agree that we can't ignore the Calaveras," he said. "Until we know what they want, they're a wild card that we can't afford, not with Monroe out there. She's dangerous, but we can't focus all of our attention on her, and that lack of focus will get someone killed."

Just like his lack of focus when facing Gerard and Monroe had nearly gotten Brett and Lori killed.

"Okay," Scott agreed, "you're right. You're all right." He looked at Stiles. "Call him."

"One of her hunters was working at the school," Liam offered. "They probably have a contact number for him."

"Good thinking," Stiles said, lips quirked up. "I'll tell him to call Ms Martin and get the lowdown."

Liam nodded, and some of the tension left his shoulders. Now they could focus.

Stiles walked outside to join Derek, pulling out his phone. The rest of them moved to gather around the table.

"What's the plan?" Liam asked Scott.

Scott glanced at Theo, and Liam followed his gaze, finding Theo staring out the window, nostrils flaring. It was something he did when he was lost in thought, planning something. Liam had noticed it awhile ago, but he was surprised that Scott had as well.

"Theo?" He asked quietly.

Theo hummed in acknowledgement, his attention slowly coming back to them. "She'll expect us to split up," he said eventually, "but I don't see any way around it. If we go in one big group, we're too vulnerable. And someone needs to get to the Nemeton to stop whatever her plan is."

"And she'll do anything to keep us away," Liam agreed. "No one's safe. She'll try and take a hostage, something to cripple us with."

"Too late," Derek said, walking back in and looking grim. "Parrish just called me. Lydia's gone."

Liam looked around the room. He'd thought that Lydia had left with Scott and the rest of their pack. Clearly, she'd never made it here.

His heart sank.

***

Theo stood beside his truck, uneasiness making him restless. He didn't like this one bit.

"I'll be fine," Liam said in a quiet voice. But his eyes showed the same worry, his reluctance clear in the way he was standing even if Theo couldn't already feel it through the red string he had tangled around both fists.

"I know," he said, pretending a confidence he didn't feel. "We'll be fine. I'll see you soon."

Liam nodded, lower lip wobbling just a fraction. Theo reached for him, pulling him in tight to his chest, burying his nose in his neck. They breathed each other in, stealing every possible moment they could. Just in case.

Theo tried to memorise the way Liam fit into his arms, his scent, his heartbeat, tried to hold it clear in his mind. He pulled away only far enough to crash his lips to Liam's, tasting him, memorising that too, the feel of his lips pressing urgently to his.

They both took shaky breaths and stepped back, glancing to where the others were all waiting, having said their goodbyes already.

"Look after each other," Liam said firmly.

Theo nodded. "You too."

He climbed into his truck, where Stiles was already sitting in the passenger seat. With one last longing look towards Liam, he started the engine, peeling off down the road.

In the rearview mirror, he watched as Liam went to stand with Scott and Isaac. He'd be fine. He was with his pack.

"They'll be okay," Stiles said. Theo nodded, focussing his attention back on the road. He didn't trust his voice at the moment, his throat tight with emotion.

Stiles pulled out his phone, rattling out updates to Theo.

"Derek heard from Argent. They've organised a meeting with the Calaveras."

Theo frowned. "That was quick."

Stiles hummed in agreement. "Hopefully they can figure out what the hell they want."

"I think it has something to do with Nolan," Theo mused. Even though he'd been severely weakened at the time, he could still remember the way the Calavera had looked at Nolan; half terror, half fascination. And the way he'd backed down as soon as Nolan had stepped forward was telling. He hadn't wanted to risk him getting hurt.

Stiles' head whipped towards him. "Nolan? Why?"

Theo shrugged. "I don't know. Something to do with the crazy lady that turned him maybe."

"Kate," Stiles said, his voice grim. "I need to call Argent."

He called him immediately, having a rapid conversation with the hunter, relaying what Theo had told him. Theo added a detail here and there, explaining what he could remember of their interaction with the Calavera.

"Where is he now?" Argent asked, voice clearly audible to Theo over the phone. Stiles looked at Theo.

"A hotel with Brett," Theo said. "I don't know which one."

Argent cursed. "We'll find them," he said. The phone went dead immediately after.

Theo sighed. As if they didn't already have enough on their plates.

He turned his attention back to driving, sure by now that he'd shaken off any hunters that might have been following them. He headed around the back way, looping around to one of the little known entrances to the preserve. He'd found it back when he was avoiding Scott and sleeping in his truck, sure that he was about to be kicked out of the pack. It was one of the few places he'd managed to catch an entire night's rest without being disturbed by the sheriff's deputies.

Thankfully, it still appeared to be quite deserted. Theo parked the truck and turned it off.

"We'll come at the Nemeton from the back," he said. "It means covering a lot of distance to circle around the gorge, but it's the best chance we have of reaching it without being seen by hunters."

"As good a plan as any at this point," Stiles agreed. He checked the strap of his gun holster, making sure it was secure, and then they both hopped out of the car. Theo tucked his keys under the hood of the car in case he had to leave his clothes behind. It was a move that had saved him many times in the past.

It was slow going. Stiles was reasonably fit for a human, but the preserve was dense on this side of the gorge, and dark as well, with the canopy of the trees towering above them blocking most of the light. Theo could see easily with his wolf eyes, but Stiles wasn't so lucky, and they couldn't risk using a flashlight.

Stiles kept a hand curled into the back of his jacket, trying to step where Theo did and keep up with him without tripping.

Distantly, Theo could hear the sounds of fighting. Yells were punctuated with the loud bangs of guns firing, as well as vicious growls. The others had found their fight then.

Theo prayed to any deity that might be listening to keep Liam safe.

***

Scott's eyes flared red, showing him the indistinct shapes of hunters moving through the trees. He snarled low as a warning, flinging himself towards them. At his back, Liam and Isaac followed, as clear in his mind as the stars shining above. He could feel them in his chest. His pack.

There were yells, screams. His claws sliced through flesh, pushing someone aside. Once, such a thing would have brought him great sorrow. That didn't seem to matter now with his mate on one side and his beta on the other. He had to protect them, had to protect the town.

Distantly, he could sense Derek and Cora. They weren't as close to him as Isaac and Liam were, but he could still faintly sense them through the pack bond.

"Scott-" Isaac warned, his voice hoarse.

He ducked and rolled to the side on instinct, an arrow just narrowly missing him and implanting in the tree behind him. He got straight to his feet, launching towards the hunter that had tried to kill him, striking him a blow to the side of the head that sent him crumpling to the forest floor with a groan of pain. He stomped his weapon under his foot, shattering it, snapping the bolts of his crossbow in his hand.

This was war. He didn't have time for sentiment. He wasn't aiming to kill, He could never think like that, but he wasn't hesitating either, not when one false move could lead to the death of two of the most important people in his life.

"There," Liam hissed.

Scott spotted the gap in the hunters line at the same time. They forced their way through with triumphant roars, but the hunters folded around them, setting the trap.

After that, there was only the desperate need to survive, the feel of flesh rendering from bone under his claws, pain as the hunters landed their own blows. There was only his two betas at his back, circling and snarling at the threat that surrounded them.

The circle was broken by a loud roar, punctuated by a scream of pain, abruptly cut off but somehow still echoing. Cora stood over the corpse, blood dripping from her claws, chin jutted up as she met Scott's stare, defiant.

He didn't have time to give her more than a confused look; disappointment and relief flooding his system quickly, before the hunters immediately reacted and turned on her. They didn't get the chance to hit her, scattered apart by the enormous black wolf that bowled into them. Derek snarled, claws and fangs flashing.

Before Scott could jump in to help, he crumpled, a sharp high pitched noise bringing him to his knees, clutching his head.

***

They were getting close when the worst happened.

"Lydia, no!" Parrish yelled, his panic clear even from this distance.

Stiles felt his heart jump into his throat, his feet tangling together as he tried to increase his speed. He managed to catch himself by grabbing Theo's arm, dragging the chimera to a stop.

Silence.

They both clutched their hands to their ears as a scream pierced the air, sending birds shrieking from every tree in the preserve. Stiles fell to his knees in agony as the scream echoed on, and on, and on, amplified by the unnatural shriek of the Nemeton in his mind.

Through the gap in the trees, Stiles could just make out the shape of a female body draped over the Nemeton.

He mouthed the words, anguish stealing his voice. "No. No it can't be her. It's not her. No no no."

Blood seeped down over the edge of the Nemeton as Stiles crawled forwards, deaf and dumb to Theo and Parrish, both trying to speak to him, his eyes glued to the body, mind trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

Light denim jeans, one leg turned at an unnatural angle. The blouse, made of a slightly shimmery fabric, strangely wet. The dagger catching the light filtering through the branches high overhead.

And the blood. So much of it, too much of it, seeping into the runes that Monroe had carved into the tree.

They were too late.


End file.
